When Sable and Storm Gray Meet Platinum and Amber
by shadowed one
Summary: A foreign girl is encouraged by the organization that saved her from a tortuous past to try to live an ordinary life. With reluctance and doubt, she enrolls in the prestigious Astraea Hill. What will become of her? ShizumaxOC. COMPLETE!
1. Enigma

**So here's the usual disclaimer of me not owning Strawberry Panic, its characters, places, etc. I do own the created characters of Blake Saberheart and Kairos Blackthorn and other characters that will make their appearance later on. **

**A few words of warning for the readers. There are several elements of the story that I have changed like the relationship of Nagisa and Shizuma and some other things. Regarding the non-existent relationship of Shizuma and Nagisa in this story, I seriously am irked by the character of the latter (no offense to those who adore her). I do believe that many will find it absurd that Shizuma and Nagisa do not have any sort of romantic relationship with each other and I am open to criticism. So for those who are expecting a story revolving around the aforementioned or are disgusted about the change, then perhaps other stories on this site would interest you more. Rest assured, I have kept the rest of the elements as true as it was in the series (e.g. past histories). **

**Otherwise, I hope you do enjoy this even for a little bit.**

* * *

_Chapter 1: "Enigma"_

"Shizuma," The blue-haired young woman muttered. "When will you start taking your duties seriously?" It was apparent that she was very exasperated with her dear friend. "You have been the Etoile for a year already!"

Shizuma, the platinum-haired woman sighed inwardly as she continued to stare at the lake's gentle surface. "Another lecture?" Her whispery voice was just loud enough for the other woman to hear. The wind was starting to pick up as seen so with Shizuma's long and wavy hair dancing in the wind.

"Seriously, you wouldn't be hearing this if you just listened to-" Miyuki Rokojou started.

"All your past lectures, I know Miyuki." Shizuma's shoulders seemed to droop for a moment before she stiffened again. "Alright you've caught me shirking my duties but you cannot fault me. Any human would yearn for some quiet time, don't you think so?" She turned a little to the side to fix her eyes on the slightly shorter girl.

For those brief moments, Miyuki saw the anguish and sadness in her dear friend's eyes. Every single time her eyes gave off those feelings, Miyuki could swear that she feels an awful tugging at her heart. "It's her... isn't it?"

Shizuma gave no sign of replying. "There is nothing else to talk about that _matter,_" she started. "What did you come here for anyway, Miyuki? I doubt you just came here to lecture me about neglecting my duties." She turned back and started walking through the wooded-area of the school campus.

Miyuki followed suit as she explained the situation. "We're having a student transfer to our school and her expected arrival is tomorrow." She looked up through the leafy cover of the woods and noticed that the sky was starting to darken.

"Is there anything new with that?" Shizuma surprisingly replied in a sarcastic tone. It was very rare to see the Etoile express any emotion. "Astraea Hill's three prestigious academies always attract numerous students to enroll in one of the three exclusive girl schools."

Miyuki increased her pace to walk at the side of the Etoile. "According to the Astraea administration, this girl is very special. I couldn't get any other information about it though," Miyuki informed her counterpart. "I do know that she has an extensive background with various military groups not to mention she is also affiliated with several world renowned science and research organizations."

Shizuma eyed the student council president in disbelief. "Are you sure of your information, Miyuki? It seems suspicious," she mused. "Military background? Affiliations with renowned organizations? I believe that just goes to show that she has prestigious family who has power and connections." Shizuma was put into a deeper state of disbelief as she watched her friend shake her head.

Miyuki crossed her arms across her chest. "I managed to find information about that actually." She looked sheepish because of the fact that she's been so nosy. "I looked into the records that she mailed to the school. From what I've read from her documents she has no family."

"How is she able to survive then? She has no source of income." Shizuma pointed out as the woods started to thin as they approached the Strawberry dormitories. "Not unless through her connections, it is the government and those organizations she's affiliated with that are supporting her?" She hypothesized.

Miyuki nodded. "It is apparently so. The administration has tasked you and me as the Etoile and the student council president to receive her tomorrow morning."

Shizuma and Miyuki walked through the gates of the Strawberry dormitories as the platinum-haired woman stated her last words for the day, "We shall receive this intriguing girl then."

* * *

The sun was starting to rise on the horizon as a heavily tinted black sports car drove up the steep mountain road to Astraea hill. Inside sat a hard-faced driver, a young man dressed in a long-sleeved, button downed, white shirt and comfortable slacks and a girl who looked a few years younger than the man sitting at her side. The young man had sea-green eyes and short hair whose color was very similar to sand. He sat casually against the leather seats with his eyes half-closed though he would glance occasionally at his companion. In his eyesight, the younger girl was dressed simply but looked sophisticated. Her three-fourths long-sleeved shirt and fit pants were as black as her straight, just newly layered, shoulder-length hair. She had lightly tanned skin and a very fit figure. What were actually very stunning about the girl's looks were her stormy gray eyes, which have been giving off a cold and blank feeling. 

"Nervous, Blake?" The young man asked as the car turned on one path.

Blake turned her head to look at her long-time friend and comrade. "Pardon?" She smirked at him and raised her eyebrows at him. "What gave you that idea, Kairos? There is absolutely nothing for me to be nervous about," she claimed as she leaned her head back on the headrest.

Her deep voice sounded uncaring and sure but Kairos was skeptical of course. "I've known you for more than half of your life," he stated in his older brother fashion. After knowing her for so long, he practically felt that he and Blake were brother and sister. "You're hiding your emotions as usual.

Blake sighed, brought her hand up to her face and rested her forehead against her fingertips. "Sometimes I wish you couldn't read me that easily," she muttered. "Hiding your emotions is quite a good strategy."

Kairos chuckled and casually patted his friend's head. "It's a good strategy for certain situations only my dear Blake," he replied. "I know something is wrong and I want to hear it," Kairos demanded as he fixed a steady stare at the often serious and stoic girl.

"You treat me like I'm not an eighteen year old," she complained. "Alright then, I am feeling a little bit uneasy because of the fact that I never went to a formal educational facility," she confided in Kairos.

Kairos looked a little surprised then fixed a smile on his face. "I know you never went to a school before," he started. "It was never needed because all those organizations had enough personnel to educate you properly."

Blake let out a huff of air. "So why did they all of a sudden decide that I should start going to school?" she questioned as she rubbed her arms. "I believe that the education that they gave me and were planning to give me is of better quality than those in schools."

Kairos rested his had gently on the girl's shoulder and looked at her solemnly. "I don't think I need to answer that because you very well know why they decided to let you go on this path for now."

Blake shook her head and looked sullenly out of the window refusing to go further with the conversation. She instead watched the passing scenery from the window of the car as she waited to arrive at their destination.

"Ah! We're here already Blake!" Kairos exclaimed as the car slowed to a stop as a view of three large buildings arranged in a semi-circle neared. "Driver, park the car in front of the middle building," he ordered. To Blake he explained, "The middle one is called Saint Miator Academy according to my sources, the other buildings on either side of it are the Saint Spica Academy and the Saint Lulim Academy." As the car slowed to a stop in front of the Saint Miator Academy, Kairos ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to look more presentable. "You ready?"

"I'm always ready, Kairos." She opened the car door and decorously stepped outside. As she stood on the ground while still holding on to the car door, she eyed her surroundings and spotted two girls garbed in seemingly conservative long-sleeved black dresses as their uniforms. "_I shouldn't be surprised, the members of the organization did mention that this particular academy was run by nuns," _she thought to herself.

As the two girls approached, Kairos beckoned Blake to stand next to him, which she immediately complied to do. "They must be the ones who were tasked to receive you," he concluded in a hushed whisper. "Now be polite," he ordered. "Usually when you meet new people you have the atrocious habit of going silent." He smiled inwardly when he saw Blake grimace. "You will take my advice?" It was both a question and a backhanded order.

Blake looked at him straight in the eye and curtly nodded her head. "You have no reason to worry." Blake watched as the two uniformed girls stood before them and bowed in the traditional Japanese manner in greeting guests. The slightly shorter girl had short dark blue hair while the taller girl had waist-long platinum hair. For just a small moment, she was taken aback by the beauty of the platinum-haired girl. Her amber eyes seemed somber although she had a smile on her fair face.

Both girls straightened. "We welcome you to our academy of Saint Miator, Blake-san and Kairos-san," the blue-haired girl greeted in heavily accented English. "Please forgive us for arriving later than you because we did not anticipate your early arrival."

Kairos shook his head and smiled ruefully at the two girls as he spoke in their native language of Japanese. "You do not need to speak to us in English, ladies," he informed them with a warm smile. "Rest assured Blake and I are fluent with your language since our superiors were sure that we would end up being assigned to this country." He laughed inwardly as he observed the surprised reaction of the blue-haired girl. The other girl did not give any sign of being surprised. "Although, you already know who we are, I would still introduce ourselves again." Kairos reached out with his hand and offered a handshake as he said, "I am Kairos Blackthorn," he shook the hand of the platinum-haired girl first before the blue-haired one. "And this is Blake Saberhart." He gestured at his companion who had obviously fallen into her bad habit of odd silence.

Blake continued to stare blankly at the exchange of greetings being done in front of her. Her train of thought came back to her when a long graceful hand came into her view. To her surprise, the same hand touched her cheek and stayed in that position. She looked down blankly at the platinum-haired girl's eyes, trying to find out what her intention was.

The girl with platinum hair brought her face up closer to the taller Blake's face. It was only when their faces were just a few inches away from each other were words exchanged. "Are you alright Kuroi-san?" She smiled ever so sweetly at Blake who felt her cheeks flush with color. Kuroi was Japanese for black and she wasn't surprised why she nicknamed her that.

"Shizuma!" The blue-haired girl exclaimed at her companion's actions. "Please forgive Shizuma, Blake-san and Kairos-san."

Kairos chuckled as he watched Shizuma step away both in a reluctant and graceful manner. "So she is Shizuma and you are?" he directed the question at still unnamed girl.

The girl with blue hair looked flustered for a few seconds before gathering herself once more. "I am Miyuki and I am the student council president of this academy," she finally told their guests. "Shizuma is the Etoile or the representative-leader of all the three academies on Astraea hill."

"It is a pleasure to meet the both of you, ladies," Kairos said sincerely as he bowed once more in respect. As he did so, he slightly elbowed Blake trying to make her give her greetings. Fortunately, it seemed like it worked for Blake also bowed to the girls.

"I am grateful for your considerate receiving of me and my companion," Blake said in a smooth voice. "I believe I am being left in good hands." She looked up slightly into the eyes of Shizuma who gave her quick wink. As she and Kairos straightened, a cellphone started to ring. "Kairos, I believe that is yours." She pointed at his pants pocket.

"I apologize," he told all three girls then picked out his cellphone and answered it. "Blackthorn speaking," he switched back to English as he spoke into the mouthpiece of the cellphone. "Affirmative, we have arrived." He paused for a few seconds as the three girls looked at him. "Alright then, I suppose there is no more need for me to stay any longer since she is more than capable of taking care of herself," he informed the other speaker on the other line. "I will be there punctually... Good-bye." He pocketed the phone once more and offered his hand again for a handshake. "Unfortunately I must go already, ladies," he said sadly, as both the uniformed girls shook his hand. "I leave Blake in your capable hands." He bowed once more then turned to Blake to look her in the eye.

Blake shook her head at him and reached up to pat his head gently. "You mustn't worry about me, Kairos," she told her older friend. "You did say that I am more than capable enough to care for myself. Besides, you have other business to attend to." She ruffled his hair playfully before dropping her hand back at her side. "I'll be alright and I won't forget to call you once in awhile," she assured him as she pointed to the slight bulge, which was shaped like a cellphone in her pants' pocket.

He laughed as he reached out and wrapped his arm around Blake's shoulders and tightened his arm in giving the hug. "Then it is good-bye for now, Blake." He released her from the hug and bowed one last time to Shizuma and Miyuki before stepping into the car and driving off.

"Blake-san," Miyuki called her out of her thoughts. "We must bring you to the board room to meet the board members of the Astraea hill administration and the various officers from the three academies." Miyuki turned on her heel and started walking down the main hallway of the Saint Miator academy. "If you will follow me?"

Blake nodded her head and followed suit. She was a bit surprised when Shizuma chose to walk by her side instead of leading her to the boardroom. She did not make any reaction to this and continued to keep her eyes looking ahead of her.

"You surprised me back there, Blake-san," Shizuma whispered to her. "I was convinced that you were such a stoic and nonchalant stone, but it seems like you are quite human after my little test." Shizuma smiled in a somewhat wicked and teasingly manner. "The color is still there in your cheeks by the way," she pointed out.

Blake shook her head and couldn't help but smile at Shizuma's amusing antics. It seemed like she had such a talent with flirting and her so-called test was just to make her show emotion. "It is quite rare for me to get flustered like that," she informed the girl. "You are talented then in that way because you are the first such person to do so," she playfully joked.

Shizuma chuckled. "I am truly flattered, Blake-san. You aren't at all that stoic and nonchalant a person." As they continued walking, Shizuma would let the back of her hand bump gently against Blake's hand.

Blake remained unknowing of what the other girl was doing as she observed her surroundings. From looking at the various interior designs of the Saint Miator building, it was easy to deduce that the academy was relatively old.

As they trio made their way to the boardroom, hordes of students of all ages and of different uniforms stopped in their tracks to first gawk at the girls before gathering their wits to bow and greet the council president and the Etoile. It was easy to see in their eyes that they truly held the two girls with much admiration while they were taken aback by the fact that they had a foreign student in their midst.

Miyuki halted in front a great set of double doors and gripped the door handle. She turned to the other two and announced, "Here we are! The councils from the respective schools and the board of administrators should be here already." With that said, the president pushed open the doors and ushered in Blake and Shizuma.

As the Etoile walked into the room, all the students present in the meeting got on their feet and in one motion bowed down and greeted her in unison. The board members of the administration merely nodded their heads in greeting and gestured for the three girls to take the unoccupied seats.

A woman in her mid-fifties cleared her throat, which appropriately silenced the group. "First of all, we would like to welcome you Blake Saberhart to Astraea hill," she started, fixing the papers set in front of her on the desk. "The meeting has several purposes and the first thing we should decide on is which school you will be enrolling in."

Another woman took over the conversation by continuing, "Now, you very well know that all three of the schools are known for its high class quality of education, its extra-curricular activities and its sprawling campuses," she iterated. "According to the instructions given to us by the Lionheart Organization that has been charged with your upbringing, you are to be given free will in choosing which school you want to study in," she informed all the people present in the room. "Furthermore, the organization also requests that you are not to be bound to the uniform rule," she said in a somewhat disagreeing manner. "Please enlighten us and kindly explain this request."

As all eyes settled on her, Blake sighed inwardly and cursed Kairos silently. It was he who gave all the requests to the organization. He knew that she wasn't at all comfortable with wearing uniforms.

The truth was she actually tried going to a real school a few years back and she had not enjoyed it because of the ridiculous conservatism of the school. She particularly didn't like the stiff and often plain looking uniforms and she ended up leaving after a few days. She had argued with the organization superiors that normal schools and universities actually allow students to come in civilian attire. She had told them that she would rather attain her education from within the organization.

Blake gathered her thoughts and looked seriously at the both the board members and the students present. "I am a foreigner and as you know in most schools found in the United States of America and Europe, the Department of Education doesn't require their students to dress in uniforms," she explained. "Although I have never had experience in any real educational facility except for the few days' trial I agreed to do years ago, I have grown accustomed to wearing civilian attire."

The board members nodded their heads as another older woman started again, "We were also informed that you not be given a curfew," she clarified with indignation. "The Lionheart Organization wrote in your letter of admittance that you often kept late hours and that you were not restricted from moving around freely," she continued as many of the board members looked at Blake with dismay.

"It is a first for us to bend the rules like this," one of the board members pointed out. "Although we do not like this idea, we have decided to compromise," she informed both the student council members from the three schools and Blake herself. "We are not giving you a curfew but we are requesting that if you are to roam and move around freely you do it only within the limits of Astraea hill." Most of the board members nodded their heads in agreement, as the woman looked through the other papers in front of her. "As for the other requirements, we will continue on that as soon as you decide which school you wish to enroll in."

Blake looked solemnly at all the faces in the room. She would be spending a year of her life on this school. To the organization, it was a well-needed break for her. If this was indeed a break for her, she might as well pick the school that is best known for its education and extra-curricular activities. With a deep breath, she gave her decision, "I believe I will enroll in Saint Miator Academy." She felt amused looking at the sudden smiles that came on the faces of the Miyuki and her two student council aides. Shizuma merely nodded her head at her decision.

With that, the board members rose from their seats and started filing out of the boardroom. One of the board members stopped in front of Blake and shook her hand warmly. "I hope you will enjoy your stay here, Blake Saberhart," she started. "Rest assured, the Saint Miator academy will take care of you." She smiled once more then left her in the company of Miyuki, her two aides and Shizuma the Etoile.

Miyuki stretched as her aides gathered their papers and put them in their portfolios. "Well then! I believe you would want to settle in," she told Blake in a friendly manner. "Most of the girls in these schools choose to dorm in the Strawberry dorms since Astraea hill is quite far from the urban area." Miyuki laughed as she saw the questioning look on Blake's face. "The dorms are called that way because its architecture resembles the shape of a strawberry from the sky," Miyuki explained.

"Rokojou-sempai," one of the aides called from the door. "Something has come up and we are requested to attend another meeting."

Miyuki sighed and looked at Blake and Shizuma. "I am sorry, it seems like I won't be able to accompany you to the dormitories," she apologized. "But I believe Shizuma will be willing to escort you," she started and looked at Shizuma who was leaning against the wall. "Am I right?" she questioned her friend.

Shizuma pushed herself away from the wall, walked to Blake's side and laced her arm into the taller raven-haired girl's arm. "It _is _one of the Etoile's duties," she replied. She had meant it as a joke to Miyuki. She smiled sweetly to Miyuki and led Blake outside to the hallway, which was filled with many young girls itching to see the Etoile.

Blake looked surprised as she observed the numerous students squeal and coo at the Etoile. Many of them had flushed cheeks and were pushing each other to get close to Shizuma. She felt Shizuma's hand tighten on her arm as she led her through the crowd. "You're quite popular," Blake mused as she let Shizuma keep her arm laced in hers.

Shizuma shook her head and gave her a rueful smile. "I suppose so," she replied. "The position really gives me a lot of popularity and fame."

"Oh?" Blake questioned as they exited the main building of Saint Miator and headed down the stone-paved path towards another building. "It doesn't seem like those girls admire you just because of your prestigious position." She played her part by letting Shizuma feel comfortable with her hand resting on her forearm.

Shizuma merely chuckled and led the both of them into the dormitories. At the lobby, she gestured with her free hand at the large room to their right. "That room is the main cafeteria." She pointed to a hallway on the first floor and explained, "That hallway leads to the seniors rooms. According to our rules, sixth grade or senior students stay on the ground floor while the fifth grade students stay on the second floor," she explained further then gestured at the upper floors. "The other grades stay on the upper floors."

"Roommates?" Blake asked the girl who continued to cling onto her arm.

Shizuma shook her head. "You see when you become a fifth or sixth grade student, you are given the choice of either rooming with another student or if you'd rather have a room to yourself," she told her companion. "The younger grades are required to stay with a roommate since it is believed that building relationships is important."

Blake nodded her head in approval. "I understand their logic, but since I am given the choice as a sixth year student, I would prefer to have my own room." She smiled at Shizuma and gently extracted her arm from the other girl.

Seemingly unfazed by her action, Shizuma returned her smile and said, "I suppose you'd like to settle in your room. We already foresaw your decision of claiming a single bedroom and have already moved all your belongings into one of the rooms down this hallway." Shizuma walked down the hallway that she pointed out previously.

Blake followed the girl at a casual pace and let her eyes wander at the surroundings. The halls seemed simple enough and the rooms seemed to be big enough for her to feel comfortable in. Blake stopped as the Shizuma stopped in front on one room.

"Well, this is it." Shizuma unlocked the door and pushed it open.

Blake walked in and took in how the interior looked like. On the right side of the room was a simple bed that had white sheets. On the opposite side of the room stood a study desk, which sported her schoolbooks, writing materials and a lamp. Beside the desk stood a large armoire, which would hold her clothes and other belongings. Her trunk and suitcase lay against the wall on the north side of her room. On the north wall was a huge window, whose height started from Blake's waist and almost reached the ceiling. A modest looking black and white rug was at the center of the room as well as her favorite basketball and silver soccer ball. Hanging on the wall were her Japanese katana and nodachi swords, which were given to her by Kairos as a gift. Just below her swords, her naginata, a staff weapon that was capped by a foot and a half of blade hung.

"I see you are very active in several extra-curricular activities."

Blake turned to Shizuma and nodded her head in reply. "Usually when I had free time in the organization I would play basketball or soccer with the younger and more athletic members," she explained. "As for the swords and the spear, I have had an interest in these weapons at a young age."

Shizuma looked interested as she explained her hobbies. "And would you happen to know how to use these weapons?" she asked.

The raven-haired girl smiled and bent down to look in the eyes of Shizuma. "Maybe I'll tell you another time, Etoile-sama," she teased. She smiled as she saw the look in Shizuma's eyes. "Only if you are good, Etoile-sama."

Shizuma chuckled and brought her face closer to Blake's face. Right away Blake's face was tinged with a crimson color but did not move away. Shizuma continued to move her face closer and closer and it seemed like she was just about to kiss Blake when she changed course and kissed the other girl's cheek. "I will take my leave and let you fix your things," she told the girl. "Dinner will be in about an hour and a half," she continued as she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. "Meet me at the cafeteria? We could continue your tour of the dorms after eating."

Blake bowed to the Etoile both respectfully and gratefully. "I thank you for your kindness and I will take you up on your offer," she replied as she watched Shizuma smile once more and close the door behind her. Blake listened to the retreating steps before sitting on her bed.

_So many things have happened since that day and maybe perhaps the organization was right his time for letting me go to a normal school this time. _Blake thought to herself as she pulled out her cellphone from her pants pocket. She scrolled down her address list until it reached Kairos' name and pressed the call button. She waited as it started to ring but became disappointed when his answering machine answered her call. She decided to leave him a message saying that she had already settled in and that she would tell him the other details when she calls him up again.

Ending the call, Blake stood up, placed her cellphone on the desk and proceeded with unpacking her belongings. She first opened her suitcase, took out her iPod and other electronic gadgets and settled them beside her cellphone. In the next hour, she was able to completely empty her suitcase and trunk and had arranged everything to her liking.

"Thirty minutes more before dinner," she talked to herself. "What else is there for me to do?" she asked herself and made her way to the large glass windows. She looked outside and saw the sprawling gardens and the setting sun. "I'd like to go out but maybe I'll do that later on," she decided against it. "Shizuma did say that she was going to continue touring me around before the curfew." Blake stretched her body and decided to take a short nap instead. She lay on her bed and covered her eyes with her arm and lapsed into a short slumber.

She woke up half an hour later to the sound of pattering feet in the hallway. Rubbing her eyes she mumbled, "I guess it's about time for dinner." She sat up and ran her fingers through her tussled hair. When she was satisfied with her hair, she stood up, discarded her socks and shoes and brought out her leather slippers. Afterwards she straightened out the wrinkles on her pants and three-fourths sleeved black shirt then walked out of her door and followed the noise to the cafeteria.

As soon as she entered the huge dining room, a looming silence came into her ears. She stared back at all the stares given to her as she placed her hands into her pockets and casually headed to an empty table in one corner of the room. There she sat down comfortably and was served a tray of food by one of the cafeteria's employees. After the employee scurried off, she rested her elbow on the edge of the table then rested her chin on her hand as she continued to address the stares of the students.

Someone cleared her throat loudly, which brought all the students' attention to the other side of the room. Miyuki stood up and clapped her hands loudly. "Well now, that's quite a show of misbehavior isn't it?" she scolded all the students in the room. "I am expecting that this will not happen again, am I clear?" she demanded and got several calls of apology. "Alright then, before we let the Etoile lead the prayer before this meal let me introduce to you our new foreign student who will be studying here." Miyuki looked at Blake and signaled for her to stand up.

Blake was reluctant to stand up and let herself be the center of attention, but she conceded and got to her feet. At her feet, she stood at a stocking 5 feet and 10 inches, which was quite surprising for girls.

"This is Blake Saberhart, a sixth grade student from the western countries," Miyuki properly introduced her as Blake bowed to all the students in greeting but did not smile. "I hope that all of you will accommodate her! Now then, the prayer…"

Shizuma who sat beside Miyuki stood up and started the prayer. Blake sat back into her seat and listened to the prayer quietly until it finished. With that done, the students went back to their original noise seemingly forgetting about Blake and how she had silenced all of them with her entrance. Blake picked up her cup of tea and took a sip from it. As she relished the tea, she felt the table rattle beneath her as a tray was set on it. Blake looked up and saw a tall girl with light bluish-green hair in the white blouse and short skirt of the Spica Academy giving her a friendly smile.

"Would you mind if I sit with you?" she asked politely. "All the other tables are taken and I believe this would be a good chance to get acquainted with you."

Blake returned the smile and gestured for the girl to take a seat. "Please sit, I wouldn't mind the company," she told the girl. "I'm Blake." She reached out and shook hands with the girl.

"Amane." The girl returned Blake's handshake firmly. "So from where in the west did you come from?" Amane asked as she started eating her food. "Miator's council president wasn't too specific," she said jokingly.

Blake laughed as she also started to eat her food. "I couldn't blame her because I've been stationed in different countries in different years," she explained. "Most recently I was living in Germany and before that I was in Geneva, Switzerland," she continued. She became amused with the shocked look on Amane's face. "I've been travelling around a lot," she said sheepishly.

Amane shrugged and smiled. "You are lucky to have been able to go to all those different places," she said. "I wish I could go those places too." Amane's eyes went to their corners as she looked at the other table filled with girls. "It seems like we're drawing a lot of attention."

Blake looked at the table Amane was talking about and saw the girls talking to each other in hushed whispers as they stole glances at their table. "It seems like you're quite popular, Amane," Blake observed. "What is it that you do?"

Amane settled her utensils on her tray since she was down and rested her elbows lightly on the edge of the table. "I'm part of the horseback-riding team and a lot of these girls admire me for it," she said unhappily. "It's not like I like the attention. It tends to be excessive and annoying."

Blake chuckled. "Believe me I know how you feel," she assured the girl. "By the way, what grade are you?" she asked.

Amane allowed the cafeteria employee take away their trays before she answered. "I'm in fifth grade," she replied as the school bell started to ring. "By the way, do you need a tour?" Amane asked. "I could bring you around if you wish?" She was sincere about it.

"That isn't necessary."

Silence once again loomed in the room as all students stared at the table where Amane and Blake sat. Shizuma stood by their table with her arms crossed over her chest. Amane got to her feet, bowed in respect to the Etoile, and seemed unfazed by the icy tone of voice of Shizuma.

"I apologize," she said. "It seems like you had plans already." She smiled at the Etoile and Blake. "If you wish to ride horses Blake-san, you just need to head to the riding stables of Spica Academy."

Blake stood up, shook the hand of the girl, and smiled. "I will remember that Amane." She watched the fifth grade student make her way outside of the cafeteria into a horde of girl fans. As she watched the girl disappear down a hallway, Blake turned to face the Etoile and smiled at her. "Shall we then?" She stepped around the table and went to her side as if expecting her to do something.

Shizuma's icy exterior seemed to melt as she laced her arm once more in to the arm of Blake. The action drew out gasps and squeals from the students who remained in the cafeteria. One even shouted _Shizuma-sama and Blake-sama are so hot together!_

Of course, Blake felt weird because of this. She did notice and deduced from the start that girls would end up "admiring" each other since they are boy-deprived, but she didn't expect it to be this bad. As she led Shizuma out of the cafeteria, she listened as the students continued to gossip with each other. "So where are we going?"

Shizuma led her to another door and opened it to reveal the gardens of the dormitories. "Since I am bound to the curfew and to the dormitory area, I can only bring you to the gardens." Shizuma smiled up at Blake and led her outside. "That would be alright with you, right?"

"Of course." As the both of them walked on the soft grass under the clear star-filled skies, both of them shared a comfortable silence. Blake spotted a fountain and led them towards it. She casually pulled away from the Etoile and sat on the fountain's low wall. Shizuma followed suit and sat a few inches away from Blake.

"The night sky here in Japan is different from the night sky in Europe," Blake started as Shizuma's head turned to face her. "I was taught by the some of the numerous scientists that depending on where you are in the world, you may see different stars and constellations in the night sky." Blake leaned back on her hands and tilted her head back to get a better view at the sky.

"You seem to be well educated," Shizuma pointed out as she too assumed the same position that Blake was doing.

Blake closed her eyes and savored the cool night air against her skin. "There were so many times that I felt so lonely even when I had Kairos with me," she explained. "To keep myself preoccupied, I purposely sought to be educated by the best there was from the Lionheart Organization."

"And it solved your loneliness?" Shizuma asked quietly. It seemed like she knew the answer to that question.

Blake laughed bitterly. "How can you see through me so easily?" she questioned, dipping her hand in the fountain's clear waters. "Almost all people cannot see through me with the exceptions of Kairos and you." She stood up abruptly and walked to a few feet away from the fountain. "Of course it did not remedy my loneliness, but I still sought out other ways to get rid of that feeling," she continued as she scuffed her foot at the grass. "I learned how to fight both unarmed and armed combat."

Shizuma looked at Blake's back as she continued to assume her sitting position on the fountain. "That didn't do anything too," she concluded bluntly. As Blake's head twisted to the side to fix one eye on her. "We struggle to find our place, but for people like you and perhaps even for me redemption doesn't come easily."

In that time that Blake took in those words and the somber look in Shizuma's eyes, she somewhat felt that she and the Etoile were kindred spirits. As a gut feeling, Blake felt that Shizuma had gone through an experience very similar to hers and probably still going through it. Her past was so clouded with anger, vengeance and loneliness that she had no intention of sharing it with anyone.

The last evening bell tolled for the night. Shizuma stood up and smoothed out her skirts. "We must go back inside already," she informed Blake. "I will accompany you to the lobby then we must go our separate ways for now."

Blake nodded and started for the door leading back to the inside of the dormitories. The conversation that they had was quite a serious matter that neither one of them talked to each other for the duration of the short walk. The lobby lights were already dimmed when they closed the door behind them.

Shizuma stopped in the middle of the lobby and gazed up the stairs leading to the upper floors. "We must part here then, Blake." She looked behind her and saw the other girl with her hands in her pockets and still deep in thought. Her stormy gray eyes looked so infinitely sad as she looked down. Shizuma walked towards the girl and gently cupped the taller girl's cheek and tucked a stray lock of hair behind the girl's ear. "To fight the loneliness is no meager task, but to share your life, your past and your loneliness with others will ease the some of the pain that you feel inside."

Blake eyes glinted for a few seconds as if tears were about to pour out of her eyes, but reverted back. As Shizuma took her hand away from Blake's face, she caught the hand in her own hands and gently placed a chaste kiss on it. "I thank you for your kind words for they have surely enlightened me," she told the other girl with feeling in her voice. She let go of Shizuma's hand, bowed to the girl and without further ado disappeared down the hallway.

Shizuma watched Blake's retreating figure fade away into the darkness of the hallway before making her way down another hallway to her room. As she lay on her bed that night, she gently ran a finger across the hand, which Blake kissed. "I hope that you choose the right person to share your past and loneliness to."


	2. Welcoming Tribulation

_Chapter 2: "Welcoming Tribulation" _

Morning comes fast in Japan as Blake observed. When she awoke at her usual time of six in the morning, the sun had already risen on the horizon unlike in Europe. She rummaged through her closet and picket out another black, three-fourths sleeved, button-down polo, but this time chose a light brown pair of pants to wear along with it. She gathered her bathing things, stepped into the bathroom, and decided against soaking in the tub.

Blake quickly stripped out of her clothing and reached for the hot water nozzle to turn on a stream of water. As she stepped into the shower stall, she stopped and looked at herself in the mirror. Even at side view, she could see the remnants of a long scar that started from her shoulder to her mid-back.

_It is strange. Among all the scars that I have attained, this one did not disappear. _Blake mused silently as she stepped in to the gentle waterfall of hot water. _Share my past and loneliness, huh?_She thought to herself as she let the water cascade her hard body. She made quick work of her hair then turned off the water.

"Damn," Blake cursed under her breath when she saw the time. "I guess I won't have time to have morning exercise." She grabbed a large towel and dried off. She stepped back into her room and got into her clothes. "If I want to exercise I have to wake up earlier than usual since classes start at 7:30 am," she noted to herself. She grabbed her favorite blue Adidas messenger bag and began to load it with her books and writing materials for the day. She then grabbed her iPod and cellphone off the table and stuffed them into each of her pockets.

The 1st morning bell started to toll, which signaled breakfast was about to start. Blake was on her way out of the door as the bell continued to toll and almost got run over by a group of girls hurrying to the cafeteria. The raven-haired girl paid them no mind, slung her bag over her shoulder, and made her way down the hallway casually. Once more, the cafeteria went silent as she entered, but it did not stay quiet as long as the other day.

"I guess they're starting to get used to me," she muttered under her breath as she quickly sat down on a table and got served a tray of food immediately. She made quick work of her food, thanked the server who took her tray and made her way outside the dormitory. "Now I have to get to class," she said to no one in particular. Unfortunately, she had no idea where her class was and in fact, she had no idea what her schedule was. "Perhaps they have my schedule ready at the academy," she continued. "I just have to follow the Saint Miator students then."

Blake set off at an easy pace towards the Saint Miator Academy. As she took in her surroundings in the morning light, she started to whistle to herself. The students around turned to see where the sound was coming from and started heatedly whisper at each other. Some groups of students would break out in giggles as they glanced at Blake from afar.

_Don't tell me __I'm__ starting to get popular here too? _Blake thought in dismay. She didn't like the idea that she was starting to become a girl magnet on Astraea hill. She had no time for it anyway. _I never had any time to get into another relationship anyway. The only serious relationship I had and still have is with Kairos, but in the brother-comrade way. _She continued to muse to herself as the Saint Miator building came into view.

As she expected, Miyuki was at the entrance waiting for her. "Good morning to you, Blake-san!" she greeted cheerfully. She bowed once to Blake when she stopped in front of her to give a bow too. "I was told to give you this," she said, handing a piece of paper. "It's your schedule for this semester."

Blake took the schedule and scanned through it quickly. It was not as bad as she thought. Her classes would start at 7:30 am and would end at 3:00 in the afternoon except for Wednesdays and Fridays where classes would end at 1:00 pm in the afternoon to accommodate extra-curricular activities.

"You were actually assigned to my class, Blake-san," Miyuki informed the taller girl as she resettled her grip on her school bag. "If you want, I could take you to our classroom so that you could be familiar with it already."

Blake smiled and gave her thanks to the council president. "You do your job very well and I believe it really suits you," Blake complimented as they climbed a few flights of stairs.

Miyuki laughed and shrugged of the compliment. "I've been at it for more than a year already," she explained. "The previous year gave me sufficient experience to do my job properly this year." They turned into one hall, which was riddled with classrooms and students on their way to their classes. Miyuki stopped in front of one classroom and opened the door. "Well, here's our classroom. I already informed the teacher that you were going to be assigned to our class."

Sure enough, a woman who looked about thirty years old greeted Blake and welcomed her to the class. She then proceeded to tell the forty students in her class to take their seats before looking around for a vacant seat. "Blake there's an empty seat at the back," she pointed out. "If you may take that seat?"

Blake nodded and walked to the back of the room and hung her messenger bag on her chair before sitting down. She hardly even noticed that she was actually seated beside the Etoile until she felt someone gently prodding her arm.

"We meet again and it seems like we'll be seeing each other more often now," Shizuma smiled at Blake who stared at her in disbelief. "You seem like you don't like the idea of sitting beside me," Shizuma sighed and rested her elbow on her desk. "Many girls would do anything to be in your position."

Blake shook her head and returned the smile. "I am not at all feeling that way, Etoile-sama," Blake assured her seatmate. "I was just a little bit surprised." She then put a finger to her lips to tell the other girl to keep quiet. The teacher was already starting the lesson for that day.

The day wore away quickly and before Blake realized it, lunch had already begun. The lunch bell started tolling as the teacher dismissed her students and made her way out of the classroom. The other students followed suit and began to file out of the classroom in groups.

Blake leaned back into her chair and stretched her arms before placing her things back into her bag. Beside her, Shizuma also did the same thing as she spoke to Miyuki. The council president happened to be the front mate of Shizuma in the class. Finished arranging her things, Blake started to make her way towards the front of the room when Shizuma called to her.

"Blake-san," she called loudly enough to make Blake turn around. "Would you like to have lunch with Miyuki and I?" She smiled as she waited for the other girl's reply.

Miyuki looked at her friend disapprovingly and said, "We cannot do that Shizuma. Remember we have a meeting with the council members from the other two schools." Miyuki looked apologetic as she gazed at Blake who still stood at the front of the room.

Shizuma's face saddened as she realized that she had a previous engagement. "It seems we cannot continue this lunch then, Blake-san," she told the gray-eyed girl.

Blake smiled at the two girls. She knew that their real intentions of inviting her to lunch were to keep her company and give her more guidance. "It is alright," Blake informed them. "I could manage lunch on my own anyway." Blake turned back around and raised her hand up in a wave as she started for the door. "Well then, we'll see each other at the next class!" With that, Blake left the classroom.

Miyuki watched her friend gaze at the door where Blake was recently. She thought ruefully to herself that Shizuma was starting to change a little bit ever since Blake started going to this school. "Shizuma," she started as she grabbed her bag and started for the door. "It's strange that you've been flirting with only one girl these days." Both she and Shizuma walked out of the classroom and closed the door behind them. "There wouldn't be a day back then when you would flirt and take advantage of at least three girls each day."

Shizuma did not look at her friend as she gave her reply. "How are you so sure I have only been flirting or taking advantage of one girl only?" She asked in a serious tone.

Miyuki looked flabbergasted when she heard the honesty in her friend's voice. "So you still have been flirting with other girls even though it seems like you're smitten with Blake."

Shizuma frowned and looked at her friend disapprovingly. "And how are you also sure that I am smitten with Blake?" she questioned. "Remember Miyuki what I promised to myself with you as witness back then." She reminded the president with an icy voice.

Miyuki was suddenly put in the mood to argue and lecture Shizuma. "Promises are sometimes meant to be broken," she quoted. "Shizuma, I don't think it's right for you to trifle with the feelings of those girls you flirt with." She scolded as both girls turned into the hallway that held the conference room.

Shizuma sighed and tightened her grip on her school bag. "I am just having useless fun, Miyuki," she told her friend. "Useless fun indeed for it does not make me feel any better at all." Her voice was filled with bitterness as she entered the conference room to be greeted by two trios of girls clad in different uniforms.

Miyuki held back her tongue after hearing Shizuma speak so bitterly. She sighed and took her seat with her two aides and allowed the meeting to take place. She had hoped since the previous year that Shizuma would cease to be bitter. Just maybe, a certain someone will be able to bring her out of her bitterness. Hopefully, it would be soon too.

* * *

After Blake left the classroom, she immediately made her way down the building and realized that there was a nearby cafeteria. She entered the room and was pleasantly surprised at the ambiance of the room. Large windows let light stream in freely. There were also armchairs and couches instead of tables and chairs.

Blake casually queued to buy food and continued to look around as she waited for her turn. Distracted, Blake was jolted back to reality when someone bumped into her back. Blake took a step forward to steady herself and realized that the girl who bumped into her could not regain her balance. The raven head immediately reacted and reached out with her arms and caught the girl in her arms. She stared down at a pair of deep brown eyes and a slim face capped salmon colored hair.

"Are you alright, young miss?" she asked worriedly as the girl in her arms turned crimson. She set the girl on her two feet and looked her over for injuries. "It seems like you didn't get hurt. I'm sorry for obstructing your way and making you fall." Blake apologized and gave a warm smile.

The younger and shorter girl shook her head and bowed. "I should be the one saying sorry, sempai!" she exclaimed.

Blake shook her head and waved her off. "It doesn't matter. As long as you're alright then everything is fine." She watched in amusement as another girl this time with long blue hair came up behind the other girl. She took the girl by surprise by hugging her and fussing over her.

"Tamao-chan!" she cried out. "I'm alright! Sempai caught me just in time so I didn't injure myself or anything." She assured her friend.

The long blue-haired girl still continued to fuss. "Are you sure Nagisa-chan? I won't forgive myself if I find a single scratch on you!" Tamao continued to prod her friend's body. "I should have stayed close to you!"

Blake chuckled and caught both girls' attention. "I assure you Tamao-chan, Nagisa-chan here is alright." Blake then grabbed her tray of food and paid for it at the cashier. "I will take my leave then. It was nice meeting you two." Blake gave one last smile then made her way to an armchair and table where she proceeded to eat.

As expected, the cafeteria was a buzz by the recent happening. Many girls left their tables and crowded around Tamao and Nagisa with a barrage of questions. Blake glanced over her shoulder and noticed that Nagisa was crimson in embarrassment as Tamao clung to her friend's arm. Blake shrugged off the experience and finished her food. "The girls here are strange enough. I guess I cannot do anything about it if these girls are comfortable with same sex relationships." Blake stood up and walked out of the cafeteria and into the sprawling outdoors.

"I have about an hour more before the next class," she told herself as she looked at her watch. "I guess I'll go do some exploring." Blake walked at a comfortable pace towards the Spica academy. Blake thought to herself that she should be familiar with the other academies as well. It wasn't such a long walk to Spica.

As she entered the campus, once again the Spica students stopped in their tracks and stared at the intruder. Blake sighed inwardly and made her way to the dirt road that probably led to the fields of the Spica Academy. From afar, she could hear the wild whinnying of a horse. Blake quickened her pace and found herself at a fenced-in area. She watched as a group of girls in riding attire struggled to control or tame a large black stallion. The beast reared on its hind legs and forced the girls to back off.

"We've been having trouble with that one for quite some time now."

Blake turned and looked up into the face of a mounted Amane. She was in complete riding attire atop her white mare. "I can see that." Blake grinned up at Amane, got up on the fence and sat on it. "Do you own that horse, Amane?"

Amane shook her head emphatically as she leaned down to stroke her horse's muscled neck. "No," she replied. "It's only this girl that I own. Her name is Star Bright." The horse snorted and pawed at the ground. "Darkmoon was brought here by one of the students as a foal. When the student graduated, she left him in the school's care," Amane explained. "Unfortunately, he's had a bad temper ever since. No one can ride him."

Blake looked intrigued. "No one you say?" she asked the younger girl. Blake jumped off the fence and into the enclosure. She shook her bag off her shoulder and placed it against a fence post.

Amane kneaded her horse to step in front of Blake. "If I'm reading you right, I am discouraging you from trying your chances on Darkmoon," she advised. "It's an fifty percent chance you'll get kicked, a thirty percent chance you'll get trampled, an eighteen percent chance of being head-butted and a two percent chance that you'll get away without a scratch."

Blake laughed and stroked the muzzle of Star Bride and assured the Amane. "I'll be alright and if I get injured then it's because of my stupidity and carelessness," she told the mounted girl. "I'll be alright and I do want to take my chances on Darkmoon." She then stepped around the horse and girl, made her way across the field and beckoned for the girls handling Darkmoon to step away.

As soon as the girls backed away from the stallion, Darkmoon shied away and ran towards the middle of the field while kicking out his hind legs behind him. His eyes looked crazed as he threw his head back and let out an angry neigh.

Blake slowly approached the stallion with her hands at her sides. The stallion pawed the ground angrily as she neared. "Easy boy, I'm not going to hurt you," she told the stallion as if it was human. "You hate being cooped up here with no one at all brave enough to take you out for a ride."

Amane stared in disbelief, as the stallion seemed to calm down at hearing the voice of Blake. The other members of the riding club stared first at the Blake then stared at their leader. They could not believe that this was actually happening. "Don't make any sudden movements and don't speak," she ordered her members. "If we do something stupid, we will endanger Blake-san's life."

Blake was now a few feet away from the stallion. "Come on now boy, I just want to be friends with you," she told the stallion soothingly. "Wouldn't you like that? You'll finally have someone to run with you." She smiled when she saw the stallion tentatively step forward. She reached out with her palm facing upwards. For more than a minute, the girl and the stallion didn't move a muscle.

Then suddenly the stallion took a few more steps forward and gently lipped Blake's upturned palm. All the girls of the riding club gasped and looked at Blake in admiration for her feat. "Well, that was way faster than we expected," one of the riders told her friends.

Blake carefully stepped around the stallion and gently laid a hand on its neck. "Well now!" Blake said out loud for the other riders to hear her. "It's going faster than I expected. Maybe I could try riding this guy."

Amane worry heightened so dramatically that Star Bride started to prance. "Blake! I really think you're taking your chances too seriously," she warned. "Blake!" she cried as she watched the raven-haired twine her hand on the stallion's mane and pulled herself up onto its back in one fluid motion.

The stallion reared on its hind legs as Blake effortlessly kept her grip on the stallion's mane. The riding club shouted and screamed in fright for their senior. Amane began to knead her horse to gallop towards the stallion when it suddenly went back on all its four legs. All the girls stared in shock at the sight before them. Blake was sitting comfortably on the bare back of the stallion, which didn't seem at all angry.

"That's better. It isn't as bad as the saddle huh?" Blake whispered to the stallion. "Hoy, Amane!" she called out to the other mounted rider. "This guy didn't like saddles?" she clarified with her.

Amane nodded her head. "Part of the reason why it was so hard to train him was because of his dislike of saddles," she explained. "Even professional trainers can't break him." The other girls around her nodded their head in confirmation. They had witnessed the numerous times students and outsiders tried to break Darkmoon without any success.

"Hmmmm…" Blake thought to herself. "I could probably break him of his hate of saddles, but for now," she said and diverted her attention to Amane. "How about a race?" She knew that it was such a wild challenge especially since she had no intention of using a saddle.

Amane gawked at her would-be opponent. "Race?" She couldn't help but be sarcastic about it. "Just to remind you, you are heavily disadvantaged even though you've given me a handicap of racing bare-back." Even though Amane was against the race, she could feel her blood rushing through her veins because of the excitement of the challenge. "Need I also mention that male horses are faster than female horses?"

Blake chuckled and assured the other girl, "Don't worry Amane. I am quite aware of these things. I just want to have a friendly race before we go back to our classes." Blake kicked Darkmoon's sides and galloped across the field. "I'll race you to the Saint Miator Campus!" she shouted as she and the stallion jumped effortlessly over the fence.

Of course, Amane couldn't refuse the challenge. She whooped, spurred Star Bright to jump over the fence and galloped down the path in pursuit of Blake. The two raced furiously down the dirt path under the trees. "Don't you think just because you have the advantage and you gave me a handicap means you're going to win!" Amane shouted ahead of her.

Blake laughed as the exhilarating feeling of the wind racing through her hair made her feel excited. "I'm still going to win Amane no matter what you say!" Blake leaned forward, pressed her chest against the powerful neck of Darkmoon, and urged the horse to go faster. Blake watched her surroundings zip by as she frequently glanced behind her to check how far Amane was.

Amane marveled at the way Blake took to being on a horse so naturally. Even without the saddle, Blake looked like she was one with Darkmoon as they raced off the dirt road and onto the stone-paved paths of Spica Academy. "It's the last stretch already and I must win!" She spurred Star Bright to go faster and closed the distance between her and Blake.

The sound of thundering hooves was heard in Spica Academy even if the riders were still quite far from entering the campus. Students already speculated that the star of Spica Academy was coming that way and they all gathered at the front of the building to witness it. All students of the academy gasped and shouted in glee as they watched Amane gallop after Blake who rode bareback. They continued to cheer as both riders raced passed the crowds of students and toward the Saint Miator Academy. Numerous girls chased after the riders to witness the winner of the race.

* * *

"Was that meeting really necessary, Miyuki?" Shizuma asked her friend in disdain as they went down the stairs and into the main lobby of the school. "We hardly talked about anything important." Shizuma smoothed her tie down and walked towards the exit.

Miyuki cried out in shock and began to scold the Etoile. "The freshmen welcoming party isn't of any importance to you?" she demanded hotly. "You really don't take your duties seriously, Etoile-sama." Miyuki made a face as numerous girls ran past them and into the courtyard. They made so much noise that other students inside the cafeteria also came out to check out what was happening. "What in the world is happening now?"

A student who was running with the crowd shouted the news to the other students who peeked out of the cafeteria. "There's a horse race and the finish line is just here in our courtyard!" Her news took immediate effect. A flood of students came rushing out to the courtyard.

Shizuma kept a blank face as she let the flood of students cease before turning to Miyuki. "So shall we watch the end of this horse race?" Shizuma asked looking disinterested. "I believe this race involves the prince of Spica."

Miyuki shrugged her shoulders as a reply. "Who else would be involved in a horse race?" She and Shizuma made their way outside and watched as the vast crowd of students parted for the council president and the Etoile. "The only thing we need to find out is the identity of the challenger."

All of a sudden, the crowd started shouting and screaming at once. At a distance, the sound of thundering hooves neared. "It's Amane-sama!" one girl exclaimed as all the other students clamored to get to the front of the crowd to get a better view.

Miyuki sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "So we were right," she declared. "But who is the-" Miyuki's jaw dropped at the sight of the challenger. "Blake-san?" she choked out. "Shizuma… Am I seeing things or is Blake-san riding bareback on that stallion that can never be broken?"

Shizuma nodded her head and watched the race intently. It was obvious who the winner was going to be. The mare of Amane had sweat-streaked sides and it looked like it was breathing hard. The stallion that Blake rode didn't seem at all tired. Shizuma flinched as the crowd behind her surged forward when they realized who the challenger was. Almost all the girls reached out with their hands and pushed forward to get to the front. Shizuma heard her friend shout at the students to halt their activity, but they wouldn't calm down.

Before any of them could react, a girl shrieked as she was shoved roughly forward. She stumbled and fell directly in the path of the riders who were just several yards away from crossing the supposed finish line. Shizuma reacted lightning-fast by throwing herself towards the screaming girl. "Stupid!" She scolded herself. "I endangered my life too! Damn it!" She wrapped the girl in her arms and hoped that whichever rider was ahead would be able to react quickly enough and dodge them.

Blake saw what was happening just in time since she was in the lead. "Damn it! The crowd is going wild! Darkmoon might get spooked and end up running into the crowd or I might run into Amane!" she muttered to herself. Then she saw the girl fall into her path and Shizuma diving forward to grab the girl. "Damn!" She cursed out loud as she pulled hard on the mane of Darkmoon to stop him.

The stallion skidded across the ground and managed to stop a mere two feet away from the Etoile and the girl, but due to the wildness of the crowd, the stallion angrily reared back and threw Blake off her concentration to stay on. The force of the stallion's rearing back threw Blake off his back and sent her crashing into the wall of the school with a sickening thud.

Blake was lucky to have quick reflexes. Once she left the back of Darkmoon, she positioned herself to hit the wall with her back. She felt the bone-crunching sound upon her impact and felt the pain shoot through her body as she dropped to the ground on her knees. Blake choked out some blood from her mouth as she braced her hand on the ground to steady herself. The pain she was feeling drowned out the sounds around her as her eyesight started to darken. Blake fought to stay conscious as she felt someone drop to her knees beside her.

"Blake-san!" It was Miyuki who had come to her aid. "Someone get the stretcher at the infirmary!" she ordered no one in particular. "Blake! Please lie down! You probably broke something!" Miyuki begged as she worriedly looked Blake over.

Blake weakly complied and tried to lie down on the ground. Her back was such a throbbing pain that she gasped out in pain. She could not lie down because of the extreme pain she was feeling. A hand pressed gently onto her back and lowered her onto the ground.

"Lie still and try to bear the pain for now." Amane looked down into the face of Blake worriedly. She was pale with fear and shock. "You took quite a beating when you got thrown into that wall by Darkmoon."

Blake managed to give a weak grin. "You can't blame the horse. I probably hurt him pretty bad when I made him stop," she said weakly as blood continued to ooze out of her mouth. "He was also pretty frightened at the wildness of the crowd that's why he threw me off with such force."

Shizuma's face came into Blake's view as she leaned over her. "Don't move Blake," she ordered as she took out her handkerchief and dabbed at the blood flowing from her mouth. "The student council aides and some volunteers are dispersing the crowd so that the stretcher can reach us." Shizuma cupped the side of Blake's face and lowered her head down so that her lips would be positioned at Blake's ear. "You risked getting hurt to keep me and that student safe." Her whisper tickled Blake's ear. "I truly appreciate it," her whisper was getting softer and less understandable for Blake. Her eyesight blacked out as she lost consciousness. She did not get to hear Shizuma say, "I owe you my life."


	3. Blossoming Denial

_Chapter 3: "Blossoming Denial"_

"It's alright Amane. Nobody is going to fault you."

Amane continued to pace in the Saint Miator courtyard. "Truly I am not worrying about that." She assured the student council president and the Etoile who remained outside of the school with the Spica student. "Perhaps I am a bit worried about the fact that people may second guess the cause of this accident," she confided in the older girls. "The Spica student council would have heard about this already." Amane stopped pacing when she looked at the distance to see three girls in the Spica uniform approaching. "Speak of the devil! Here they come now!"

The trio from the Spica student council body made their way towards them at an easy pace. At the middle of the group was a girl with strikingly wavy blonde hair. The girl to her left was tall and had straight black hair that was cut until the nape of her neck. The other girl was a brunette with playful eyes.

The blonde reached them first. "Amane-san, we came over as soon as we heard about this accident," she started. "Although we weren't sure if it was you or the foreign st udent who was injured." She stepped forward and looked Amane over with wary eyes. She even walked around Amane to check if she had any unnoticed injuries. "Well, it seems like you are unharmed," she finally concluded. "Might I suggest that you do not get yourself into these kinds of rowdy games?" She wagged her finger at Amane when she was about to retort back. "We can't let the star of Spica Academy get hurt."

Amane's shoulders drooped in surrender as she gathered the reigns of Star Bride. She looked at the stallion, which was grazing under some nearby trees. "Get going Darkmoon!" she shouted at the stallion, which immediately started running for Spica academy. "At least he knows what it means when I shout." She muttered as she remounted her horse and without glancing or bidding the student council members goodbye galloped off.

"Tomori-san," Miyuki started as Amane disappeared down the stretch of road. "We are sorry for this inconvenience." She addressed the blonde student council president with respect. Miyuki felt wearier after seeing that the student council of Spica inconvenienced themselves to go to their campus and check things out.

Shion Tomori shook her head and gave a small smile at her counterpart. "It's alright Rokojou-san," she replied. "We are relieved that Amane was not hurt, but Kenjou-san, Kiyashiki-san, and I-" she gestured at her aides before continuing. "-are more worried about your foreign student." She explained.

Kaname Kenjou who was the black-haired and quite masculine looking girl rubbed her chin in thought. "What exactly happened if I may ask, Rokojou-san?" she inquired. "I was quite perturbed when I heard that Amane-san and Saberheart-sempai were racing."

"Kenjou-san-" Momomi Kiyashiki interrupted. "-Was the first person to find out from among us about the race," The brunette explained to the older girls of Saint Miator.

Miyuki crossed her arms across her chest and looked at the Spica student council as she explained what happened earlier. "The Saint Miator students became unruly and crowded in this courtyard to witness the said event," she informed them as Shizuma nodded in confirmation. "Things got out of hand when Blake-san and Amane were in view. A girl was shoved into the oncoming path of Blake-san's horse so Shizuma dove forward to try to get the girl out of the way. Unfortunately she was unsuccessful."

Shion Tomori took over the explanation because she pretty much figured out what happened. "So Blake-san managed to stop her horse just in time, but as a result she got thrown off and thus became injured." Shion looked up at the darkening sky. "Am I right?"

Shizuma nodded her head and also looked up into the sky. "If everything has been clarified, I will take my leave now." She bowed to all the girls, turned on her heel and stalked inside the school. "I'll leave the rest to you, Miyuki." She called back to her friend before disappearing into the school.

Miyuki rubbed her face in exasperation as she walked the Spica student council towards the path leading back to their school. "Rest assured, these kind of situations will be avoided as much as possible," she told the remaining girls as they also bid their farewells and walked back to their school. Miyuki continued to watch the Spica student council walk back to their campus as the wind started to pick up. "I wonder what the current condition of Blake is?"

* * *

_You were always the impulsive type. _

_You always throw yourself into the middle of strife because you think you could put a stop to it. You cannot be the savior all the time._

_ Remember this well Blake. __You're__ still a human even though some people and you yourself know that you're not an ordinary human. _

_Remember your humanity. It will keep your feet firmly planted on the ground._

* * *

Blake heard herself groan out as she struggled to clear her blurry vision. "_It was that voice again," _she thought to herself as she reached up to her face and rested a hand over her eyes. "_The last time it talked to me in my dreams was when she…"_ she stopped that thought abruptly. _"That was all in the past and I have no intentions of remembering my past." _Blake rubbed her blurry eyes and squinted to see where she was. Her back was still throbbing, but the pain was not as intense as before. "Have to try to get up." Blake slowly pushed herself up from her lying position and took in her surroundings. "At the infirmary, I guess." She said to no one in particular. 

Blake pushed away the sheets from her and saw her black polo shirt hanging on a hook on the wall. She looked down in dismay to see that she had been stripped of the shirt so that whoever was in charge of the infirmary could wrap her torso in bandages. The bandages spanned her whole torso area, covering her breasts. The bandages spanned from one shoulder all the way to her waist. "The fall must have been pretty bad for me to be wrapped up like this."

A knock on the door rang in Blake's ears. She looked at the door and sighed. "Come in," she called out without caring that she wasn't decent. Her eyes widened when she saw Shizuma open the door and stepped inside. "Shizuma," she started. "I didn't realize that you would be my visitor." Blake leaned back gently on the headrest of the bed and eyed the Etoile.

Shizuma smiled warmly at the injured girl and walked to the foot of the bed. "How are you feeling?" she inquired. She gently laid a hand on the covered foot of Blake and looked at her seriously. "You've been unconscious for the rest of the day. We gave your excuses to the professors." She assured Blake.

Blake gave a sigh of relief and finger-combed her tussled hair. "So did they say anything about my condition?" Blake swung her legs to the side of the bed and carefully got to her feet. She turned her back on the Etoile and looked out of the window.

"I took the liberty of looking through your medical report," she told the other girl while taking in the other girl's current state. "You have a bruised back and the impact of your fall cracked two of your ribs." She pointed at the bandages when she told Blake about the state of her ribs. "The bandages were needed because of that." Shizuma looked worriedly at Blake. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Blake nodded her head and carefully stretched her body. "You should not worry," she told the other girl. "I've had injuries worse than this. Some of them kept me bedridden for weeks." Blake turned to face Shizuma and grabbed her shirt off the wall hook. "Right now, I think I need some food," she expressed her hunger to the girl as she buttoned down the polo. "Would you accompany me?" she held her arm out to the other girl.

Shizuma stared at Blake for a few seconds before lacing her arm through Blake's arm with a smile on her face. "I'd be happy to accompany you." She exclaimed as both of them left the infirmary. "You must be hungry after being unconscious for that long."

Blake nodded as a reply. "I am really hungry to tell you the truth." She grinned as she led them towards the cafeteria doors. "Maybe you should unhook your arm from mine first," she advised. "The students will make a fuss about it not that I don't like holding you," she flirted jokingly.

Shizuma squeezed Blake's arm with her hand before releasing her. She put her hand against the cafeteria doors and looked at Blake. "Shall we then?" She then pushed the door open and ushered Blake inside. As expected again, all the students became silent upon seeing the Etoile but reserved their stares for Blake. Shizuma led Blake to a cushioned armchair and sat across from her. "I'll get your food for you, so just relax." She ordered the girl who obliged to the command.

Two servers brought trays of food to the table of the Etoile and Blake and set it in front of them. Blake immediately pounced on the food and polished all the plates clean. Shizuma watched her friend finish her food as she ate her own food at a slower pace. Other students in the cafeteria also did the same thing as the Etoile and watched the raven-haired girl eat at a furious pace.

Blake gave out a satisfied sigh as Shizuma poured her a cup of tea. "I feel better already," she smiled at Shizuma who also gave back a smile of her own. "So how is Amane? She must have been fairly worried."

Shizuma nodded her head as she also poured herself a cup of tea. "She was quite worried but the appearance of the Spica student council cut her worry aside when they arrived after you were brought to the infirmary," she started to recount the events from when Blake was carried to the infirmary until Shizuma left the gathering. "So you see, she doesn't really care for politics and she doesn't particularly like it when the student council interrupts her from her daily routine."

Blake rested her chin on her fingertips and thought deeply. "I should go find her tomorrow and give my apologies." She looked to Shizuma for some more advice on the matter. "Manners would also dictate for me to also bring my apologies to the Spica student council, am I right?" she questioned the Etoile who was calling for the servers to clear away the table.

"Yes, that would be appropriate but the school has decided that you be given three days of recuperation before you go back to classes," Shizuma shared the information to Blake. "It's entirely up to you if you would want to use part of your recuperation period to give those apologies."

Blake pushed herself off the chair and walked around the table and onto the aisle. "I guess I have no choice then," she muttered. "I'll have to savor the free time that the school has given me." She smiled wickedly when Shizuma chuckled at her sarcasm. "I'll take my leave then." Blake straightened her shirt and started for the door. She raised her hand up in a silent wave and left the cafeteria.

Blake made her way down the halls at an easy pace for fear of putting stress on her injured body. Just as she turned on one hallway, she felt her cellphone vibrating in her pocket. Blake grabbed the cellphone and looked at the screen to see who was calling her. She smirked and answered the phone. "Hello Kairos."

_"Blake! I was contacted by the school about what happened! Are you alright__"_

Blake laughed silently at how her long-time friend sounded on the phone. He sounded worried and angry at the same time. "I'm in one piece, Kairos." Blake raised a hand to her mouth to cover a yawn. "If you're going to keep on worrying at me then it's a waste of time," she impatiently ran her fingers through her raven hair. "You know that I've been through worse before the Lionheart Organization took custody over me."

_It __doesn't__ matter Blake! You should be more careful. _Kairos sounded exasperated as he continued to berate his charge. _You always use your past as an excuse when it comes to mishaps like this. _

"Kairos," There was a warning tone in Blake's voice as she continued down the hallways. "You are starting to irk me." Blake finally reached her room's door. She pinned her cellphone to her shoulder to free both hands in order to unlock the door. "It's just a bruised back and a few cracked ribs. They even gave me three days of rest which I really find unnecessary."

_Just because your body has special properties __doesn't__ mean you should be so careless!_

"Kairos, I have had enough! I'm hanging up now!" Blake reached her thumb for the end call button as she listened to Kairos' voice get louder.

_Don't__ you dare hang up on me, Blake! You and I still have a lot to-_

Blake didn't even bother to let her friend finish his sentence and hung up on him. "How annoying can he be?" Blake switched on her desk light and began to undress. She stepped in front of her full-length mirror and checked if her bandages were still securely wrapped around her torso. "The healing is going pretty nicely." She twisted her body from side to side in front of the mirror, making sure that nothing escaped her attentive eyes.

Once she was satisfied with the going-over of her body, she walked to her cabinet and pulled one of its doors open. Blake hastily grabbed a loose, sleeveless t-shirt whose straps where an inch in length. She sat on her bed as she pulled the shirt over her head and slipped her arms into the armholes. She was just about to lie on her bed to sleep when there was a quiet knock on her door.

"Who wants to visit me at this time of the night?" she muttered under her breath as she cracked the door open enough to stick her head out. Blake's hair fell over her face as she looked down into amber eyes that locked with her own eyes. "Shizuma?" Blake pulled the door open wider to get a better look at the Etoile.

Shizuma was clad in silk pajamas with her hair cascading down her back. In her hands was a short cylindrical shape wrapped in brown parchment paper. She had a light smile set on her pale face as she stood in front of the raven-haired foreigner. "I have come to give you an offer, Blake-san."

Blake raised her eyebrows in interest at the other girl as she leaned on the doorframe. "I'm listening, Etoile-sama." She noticed that the other girl's eyes glinted when she agreed to listen to the offer. She just didn't know how to describe what the glint was for.

Shizuma held the cylindrical shaped thing in one hand as she used the other hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. "This thing that I am carrying is some salve that I was given by my relatives from abroad,' she explained as she unwrapped the container from the brown parchment. "It is said that if used, it could soothe pain from any sort of injury."

Blake's eyebrows knitted together in thought. _I suppose __she's__ trying to make me feel better. Did I look that worn out __awhile__ ago to her?_ Blake straightened and headed back into her room and sat on her bed with a thump. Shizuma remained outside with a confused look on her face. "Please come in," Blake gave her permission as the girl gingerly stepped into her room. "It is rude for me to continue to entertain you outside." Blake gestured at the salve when Shizuma closed the door behind her. "About that salve I am grateful for your offer, but I believe it isn't necessary."

Shizuma shook her head at Blake's refusal. "I really believe that this will ease your discomfort." Determination burned in her eyes as she gazed at the girl sitting on the bed. "Please?" she pleaded with Blake. "It would ease my guilt."

Blake sighed in resignation and rested her hands on her lap. "Alright then," She gave her approval and smiled when the other girl's face lit up. "How should we do this then?" Blake's eyes didn't give the slightest feeling of reluctance when Shizuma explained that she would rub the salve onto her bruised back. "My bandages will get in the way."

Shizuma laughed. "Silly, this salve will soak through your bandages and by tomorrow it will be dry." She stepped closer to Blake and pointed at her shirt. "Now take that off and make this easier for me." She couldn't help but watch attentively as the other girl submitted to her request and pulled her shirt off.

Blake folded her shirt and placed it on top of her pillow as she locked eyes with Shizuma. "What should I do now?" She murmured as she rubbed her shoulder, which was starting to ache.

"Lie face down on your bed. I'm just going to apply this salve on your back anyway."

Blake complied and stretched out on her bed. She rested her chin on her hands as she stared at the wall. It was quite awkward that she got herself in this kind of situation. She never let anyone even Kairos get so close to her. She continued to stare at the wall as she felt Shizuma sink onto her bed.

"You are awfully quiet." Shizuma said quietly as she gently prodded the girl's back. "Are you uncomfortable with this?" She had applied a generous amount of the salve on her hands and was smoothing it over Blake's back.

Blake muttered back in an inaudible reply, which Shizuma replied to with a questioning sound. Blake raised her face away from her bed so that she could be heard better. "I don't usually let people have the opportunity to get this close to me." Blake let out a sigh of pleasure unexpectedly as Shizuma started to knead her back with her fingers. "Back at organization, the only time people were able to get this close to my body was when I was having medical exams or if I was injured and unconscious."

Shizuma chuckled and mounted the supine form of the girl. She lightly sat on the lower back of Blake and smiled to herself when she felt the girl beneath her stiffen at her action. "It's alright," she assured the other girl. "I just need better access to your back and it would be easier for me to apply this salve in this position."

Blake couldn't relax easily with the girl so intimately close to her body. She felt the girl lean onto her back using her weight. Blake could feel her face heat up as she felt the other girl's pajama top run through her back as she leaned down to gain better leverage. She was starting to loosen up at the other girl's efforts when an unexpected pain on her back flashed. Before she knew what she was doing, her body had reacted so quickly to the pain that she threw Shizuma off her back and ended up being on top, pinning her to her bed.

Shizuma looked up at Blake who was now on top of her body. She gazed deeply into the stormy gray eyes of the other girl whose face was just a few inches from hers. She knew that deep inside of her, she has been attracted to this girl ever since she stepped into their campus. Shizuma's eyes were half- closed as she raised a hand up to Blake's face to rest it against her cheek.

Blake couldn't tear her eyes away from Shizuma's as she also could not bring herself to get off the girl who was laying beneath her. _What is happening to me? I __can't__ seem to make myself get off her. Am I… attracted to her? _Blake's thoughts continued to scramble in her mind as Shizuma caressed her cheek. _Oh no._The thought seemed to be a far off whisper in her mind when Shizuma leaned her face up and slowly shut her eyes.

The moment seemed to last forever as both girls' faces came closer and closer to each other. Blake's eyes started to close without her knowing as Shizuma's lips started to come closer and closer to her own. Just as their lips were about to touch, Blake snapped her eyes open realizing what was just about to happen. She pushed herself back on her knees and stared down at the Shizuma who looked disappointedly at her.

"I-" Blake's face was such a dark color of crimson as she nervously ran her hands through her hair. "Sorry." She blurted out as she got off the bed and couldn't look at the lying form of the Etoile on her bed. "I didn't know what came over me."

Shizuma swung her legs to the side of the bed and got to her feet. She silently gathered the salve and wrapped it back in its parchment paper. She then walked up to the still crimson Blake and cupped the taller girl's cheek in one hand as she leaned upward to whisper in Blake's ear. "I should have taken advantage of you when I had the chance." Her warm breath tickled the other girl's ear. Shizuma then pulled away from Blake and went for the door.

Blake followed the girl to the door and opened it for her. Her face was still a bright crimson color as she watched Shizuma step outside into the dark hallway. "Hey," she grabbed Shizuma by the arm and stopped her from walking away. "By taking advantage did you mean that you are interested in me?"

Shizuma remained silent and looked away from the taller girl's piercing gaze. "Good night to you, Blake." She told the other girl and tried to break free of Blake's grip.

Blake was having warring feelings within her as she continued to hold onto the Shizuma's arm. _Why do I feel so confused? I feel like my body is being pulled apart. I __can't__ understand what I'm feeling right now! _One thing was for sure, if she didn't do something now, the Etoile was going to escape and things were going to be awkward between them from that moment onward. _What the hell!_ Blake let out a sigh and easily hauled Shizuma against her body. She gripped the shorter girl's chin with her long and slender fingers and gazed into her eyes deeply.

Shizuma looked surprised as she felt Blake wrap her arm around her lower back and pulled her closer to her body. "Blake?" she whispered.

Blake rested her forehead against the other girl's forehead and closed her eyes as she gave her explanation. "Look, this is really weird for me. I have never encountered such a complex amalgam of emotions in just one experience." She gave Shizuma a small smile. "This," she freed her hand from Shizuma's chin and gestured at them. "-is a new thing for me and I honestly do not know how to go about it." For the first time in years, Blake felt flustered.

Shizuma was surprised at the confession of Blake, but she had become genuinely happy because of it. She raised her hand up to caress the taller girl's cheek affectionately. "Surely you have noticed that the kind of relationships that are formed within these schools are _different,_" she said in her usual calm and whispery voice.

Blake nodded her head slightly. She let go of Shizuma all together and beckoned for her to enter her room once more. Once both of the girls were seated side by side on Blake's bed, the raven-haired girl explained herself. "Well I deduced that that kind of thing would happen because of the all-female population," Blake paused and looked away from Shizuma's gaze. "It's just that I was never interested in _those _kinds of relationships and even the traditional form of relationships," Blake muttered as Shizuma looked at the other girl. She let out a long sigh then turned to seriously look at the Etoile and confessed, "But then you confuse me."

Shizuma looked surprised as she watched Blake's sharp face slightly redden. Shizuma felt the beginnings of shame creep up in her. It was really part of her nature to flirt with other girls and sometimes take advantage of them if she really wanted to, but she now felt embarrassed of what she had done to Blake. _But__ how could have I helped it if I was attracted to her upon our first meeting? _Shizuma thought sadly. _I do not want to force her into something that goes against her own principles. _Shizuma looked down and gently rested her hand against Blake's, which was gripping the edge of the bed. She looked into Blake's eyes and said, "You just have to tell me that you are not comfortable with this and I will cease."

None of the girls said anything and continued to stare at each other. Blake remained silent because she still had no idea how to go about the situation. On the other hand, Shizuma was silent because she was waiting for Blake to reply.

Minutes had gone by in silence when Shizuma finally closed her eyes and let her head droop down in surrender. Without looking at Blake, she stood up, straightened her shoulders and walked to the door. _I guess this is too much for her to handle, _Shizuma thought in resignation as she settled her hand around the doorknob. She was about to twist the doorknob to open the door when she felt a hand grip her firmly on her forearm.

Blake had a blank look in her face as she struggled to come up with something to say to the Etoile. "Shizuma," she started. "Tell me this then… you are interested in me?" Blake watched as Shizuma blinked once then twice before giving a slight nod. "As I said awhile ago, this is completely new to me. I am not one to rush into the unknown," she told the Etoile. "But it does not mean that I would not want your friendship."

"What are you getting at, Blake?"

Blake shook her head and gave the Etoile a smile. "I am flattered that you are attracted to me, but I ask that you give me time to consider," she put it simply. "In the meantime, I would really like it if we were to be friends."

Shizuma's face was like a blank slate as she took in what the other girl proposed. She finally smiled at Blake when she made up her mind. "Of course I would like to be your friend and I respect you decision." Shizuma pulled her arm away from Blake and proceeded to walk out of the door. "Until we meet again then," she bade Blake goodbye and goodnight before closing the door behind her, leaving Blake to contemplate about what had just happened.


	4. Sable and Platinum

_Chapter 4: "Sable and Platinum" _

The three days of recuperation went by quickly. Blake had made good use of the free time she was given. She had voluntarily sought out a meeting with the Spica student council and relayed her apologies, which were easily accepted. The raven-haired girl found herself charmed by the charismatic blonde president of Spica academy as their conversation about her health pursued.

Blake had also personally looked for Amane and brought her aside to assure her of her well-being. The two of them ended up talking to each other longer than they thought until Amane invited Blake to go to the Spica stables. As the two of them leisurely walked down the familiar dirt road, Blake continued to keep their conversation going.

"How is Darkmoon? Has he caused you and the other riders any trouble since that incident?"

Amane shook her head as they walked down the tree-shaded road. "Fortunately he behaved for the past three days. When you lost consciousness, I got him to go back to the stables." Amane looked sheepishly at her companion. "Well I pretty much just shouted a command and he went off running back to the stables."

Blake quietly laughed at the confession. "Darkmoon is not such a bad horse," she told the other girl. "If you allow it, I could come by every few days or so and try to work out his temper." She held up a hand over her eyes as the leafy shade of the trees gave way to open blue skies. "Back when I was assigned in Switzerland, the Lionheart organization's branch there had endless fields," she described. "One of the officers of that branch was fond of horses and had set up a ranch nearby." She grinned at the Spica star. "You could probably tell how the story ends."

"You learned how to ride horses during your stay there," Amane concluded.

The raven-haired girl nodded her head slightly and looked dreamily at the skies above them. "Galloping across those fields somewhat gave me closure." For a moment, Blake's face became grim and serious. "I felt like I was trapped in some sort of endless darkness before being taken into the Lionheart organization," she openly explained as she and Amane leaned against the white fences enclosing the riding area. "Being in those great fields was the first time I actually felt free of my past."

"We all feel like that and I for one understand what you mean," Amane shared. "I used to tell myself that many of the students on Astraea hill are liked caged birds." She waved at one of her members at the opposite side of the riding area. "I only realized recently that I myself was a caged bird."

Both girls chose to remain silent as a gentle breeze played with their hair and clothing. The silence did not pursue because a crowd of Spica students had rushed over to greet Amane. Blake merely leaned back against the fence as Amane tried to diplomatically excuse herself and her companion. It did not take too long for Blake to realize that both she and Amane were now trapped in the mob of student admirers.

Blake lowered her voice enough for Amane to hear as she inched away from the students and back towards the side of Blake by the fence. "I got a plan," she said softly. "Are you up for it?" Blake's storm gray eyes twinkled. Her eyes were directed at the stables behind them. "I believe that you're not just a talented equestrian although part of the plan will rely on that."

Amane looked questioningly at where Blake was looking before eventually getting the idea. She grinned at Blake in amusement. "You're right to say that I'm not just talented with horses."

In a sudden motion, Blake and Amane gripped the top of the fence and vaulted over it. Just as both girls landed on the grass on the other side of the fence, they both launched themselves into a furious sprint towards the stable. Behind them, they could hear the shouts of protests coming from the students as they clambered over the fence to give chase.

"It looks like they are really going to chase after us!" Blake exclaimed as both of them neared the large stable doors. "We might get caught," Blake said, seeing that Star Bright and Darkmoon were still in their stalls.

Amane put two fingers in her mouth and let out a high-pitched whistle. "It's alright," she assured Blake. "The rest of the riding club members know the routine and this kind of thing usually happens." She pointed to the inside of the stable where two girls clad in riding attire were opening the stalls of the two horses and leading both horses into the aisle. Another girl was at the far side of the inside of the stable struggling to open a back door.

Blake smiled when she finally got wind of the plan. "No time to saddle them so we will have to ride bareback!" She and Amane vaulted over the fence and ran through the open stable doors. "Hey boy! We meet again," she murmured a greeting to the black stallion before hurriedly pulling herself onto its back. She looked over to Amane and asked, "Are you ready?"

The blue-haired equestrian nodded regally atop her mount and kicked Star Bright into a gallop through the back door of the stable with Blake close behind. Both girls raced out of the stables and through the forest, hoping that it would discourage the students enough to stop following them. They rode hard for a few more minutes until Amane signaled for Blake to slow their horses down when they reached the lake area of Astraea hill.

"That was exhilarating!" Blake laughed as she dismounted. "The three days of recuperation I was given were really boring, but this ride made it worthwhile." She rubbed the muscled neck of Darkmoon as Amane also dismounted from her horse.

"Did the hard ride give you any pain, Blake-san?" Amane looked worriedly at the other girl as she led Star Bright to the water's edge for a drink. "I heard from president Tomori that you had sustained a couple of broken ribs."

Blake shook her head and patted her lower ribs. "Nothing to worry about," she told the rider casually. "I assure you I did not feel any pain at all during the sprint and the ride." She led Darkmoon to the water's edge and let the two horses drink. "I did not realize that Astraea hill had a lake."

"It is quite a small lake, but many of the students from the three academies find it endearing," she said, leaving the horses at the lake and settling herself against a tall oak tree. "Moon-viewing festivals used to be held here on this lake, but there hasn't been one for a few years now." Amane shrugged when Blake gave her a raised eyebrow. "I guess other festivals were more interesting than it."

Blake's eyebrows furrowed as she thought. "That's too bad. Perhaps younger people now do not appreciate the beauty of nature as much." She flipped her hair back and glanced at her wristwatch. "Do you suppose it's safe to go back?" She watched as Darkmoon grazed on a patch of long grass with Star Bright close by.

Amane slowly nodded her head and looked thoughtful. "I highly doubt that those students followed us into the forest and by experience they don't wait around for too long." Amane watched in confusion as Blake grabbed Darkmoon's mane pulled herself up onto his back. "Where are you going?" she asked. "I thought we'd be heading back for the stables now."

Blake sheepishly ran a hand through her wind-tossed hair. "I thought that I'd go explore a bit more," she explained. "And probably get to know this guy," she leaned down and patted the stallion's neck. "I'll return him to the stables and care for him afterwards. You need not wait for me to return." Blake waved goodbye to Amane and lightly kicked Darkmoon into a fast trot.

Amane watched Blake disappear in the thicket of woods before mounting Star Bright. "She is so mysterious," she said aloud, kneading her horse in the direction of the stables. "But she is a good person and possibly a good friend too." With that said, horse and rider wove through the trees towards civilization.

* * *

The late afternoon sun shone through the leafy cover of the trees above Blake and Darkmoon as they leisurely made their way through the woods. Although Blake thought that she would surely enjoy the solitary activity, there were other less happy things occupying her mind. Mentioning her past even if she did not go into the specifics had made her remember her worst memories of it. 

_I can never run away from my past, _Blake thought as she steered Darkmoon towards a path with easier footing. _I thought that once I made a new life with the organization, I would be able to forget the pain and sadness._ Blake shook her head as her eyes became hard with bitterness. _It is true when they say that the past can haunt you for the rest of your life. _

Darkmoon pranced in place as if feeling the uneasiness of his rider. Blake reached down to soothe the stallion as she too employed deep breaths to calm down. _What was I thinking agreeing to the suggestion of the organization to try going for a traditional education? No matter how much I try to fit in, I will never be an ordinary girl. _The raven-haired girl was so lost in her own thoughts that she did not realize that Darkmoon was leading them into a small clearing with a tree at its center.

Even with the trunk of the tree blocking most of view, Blake was able to see the familiar long silver hair being tossed about by the wind. A particularly strong gust of wind blew across the clearing, which made the hidden silver-haired person turn away from the oncoming gust.

"Blake?"

The sable-haired girl glanced down as the Etoile looked up at her from her position beside the tree. Her eyes softened as she noticed the sadness in Shizuma's eyes. "Good afternoon Shizuma," she greeted politely. They have not talked to each other since their conversation in Blake's room.

Blake eventually found herself seated against the tree in the clearing with Shizuma beside her. Darkmoon was once again grazing nearby as the sounds from the woods began to soften. "So," Blake started. She was leaning casually against the sturdy trunk with one knee against her chest and the other stretched out. "I did not expect the Etoile to be alone in such a place."

"Every person wishes to have moments of peace."

Blake could not help but raise one elegant eyebrow at her companion. "I understand that you seek peace, but why in such a secluded area?" She looked at Shizuma with the corners of her eyes.

"I was… hiding."

The lips of Blake twitched into a smile. "Hiding? May I ask why you are hiding, Etoile-sama?"

Shizuma's eyes twinkled with mirth as she lay her elegant and expressive hands on her lap. "Well hiding from my admirers and Miyuki and her aides," she said sheepishly. "The admirers I can pretty much handle most of the time, but as for Miyuki and the others," Shizuma shrugged, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"You're shirking your duties?" Blake asked.

Shizuma's eyes became bleak when she turned to face Blake. "Being Etoile also has it disadvantages." Shizuma turned away and directed her attention at the darkening skies. "Besides," she added. "This place is very special to me."

Blake did not bother to pry when the sadness returned to the Etoile's deep amber eyes. _She too has a past that continues to haunt and pain her. _The taller girl ran her fingers through her coal black hair as she tried to think of something to say to the Etoile. "Dinner is soon…" she finally said after getting bored with her hair. "Perhaps we should head on back."

The look of sadness in Shizuma's eyes did not change as she watched Blake get to her feet. "You need not wait for me," she said brusquely. "I have no intention of diving back into that sea of student admirers and paperwork."

Blake started to laugh. "Look," she started. "If you are with me, I assure you that we won't be mobbed by your admirers." She directed her eyes at the still grazing Darkmoon. "Everyone knows about the infamous temperament of that stallion there."

The platinum-haired girl eyed Blake suspiciously. "Why has Darkmoon gotten into this conversation?" She could not continue the rest of her questions because of the hand that was thrust in front of her face.

Blake smiled kindly at Shizuma. "I'd like company for dinner later and I would not want the Etoile to get in trouble," she explained casually. "Darkmoon will help us out." Her offered hand beckoned. "Well? Are you coming?"

"How about the paperwork?"

Blake let out a sigh. "I could help you out with that if you want," she said, trying to remain patient. "I did a lot of paperwork for the organization." Blake patience rapidly faded as Shizuma thought about it for a while longer. "Well?"

The Etoile flipped back her hair and smiled up at Blake. "Promise me that you will help me out with the paperwork and the student mob?" She reached up and laid her hand in Blake's open hand.

"I give you my word." Blake easily pulled the other girl up and led her to Darkmoon. She locked her fingers together, bending down to boost Shizuma up. With some effort and a little spark of pain in her injured ribs, Blake was able to settle Shizuma on the Darkmoon's slippery back. "Oof…" Blake grunted as she pulled herself up behind Shizuma.

"Are you alright? You are straining your injuries," Shizuma said worriedly, twisting her head to the side to look at Blake with one amber orb. She leaned back slightly to support herself when Blake urged Darkmoon into a canter. "You really don't listen, do you?"

"You always worry meaninglessly, do you Etoile-sama?" Blake retorted, settling her arms around Shizuma's slim waist as she gripped Darkmoon's mane. As soon as they broke out of the woods, Blake urged Darkmoon into a gallop down a dirt road towards Spica academy. "Rokojou-san is expecting you to lead the prayer before supper?"

"As always. She always scolds me about avoiding my duties."

"I am sure that we will get back to Saint Miator in time for your prayer." Blake could not help but inhale the clean and alluring scent of Shizuma's long and luscious hair as it blew past her face. She expertly steered the black stallion through the stable doors and into the empty stables.

Shizuma watched as Blake eased herself off and land on the ground lightly. The older girl's coal black hair was slightly mussed from the ride as she reached up with both her hands to help Shizuma. The platinum-haired girl hid a smile as she eased herself into Blake's arms.

Despite the ache in her ribs, Blake was able to easily carry the weight of Shizuma. She set the girl on her feet before leading Darkmoon into his stall. "Wait for me outside? I'll be out in a minute," she told the Etoile as she proceeded to give the stallion a quick rubdown.

Shizuma calmly nodded her head and walked out of the stables. The sun was slowly setting in the horizon, which colored the sky in shades of red and orange. _How many times I have watched that same sunset when you were still alive? With you, each sunset was never the same._ Shizuma smiled bitterly as she let her hair cover her pained eyes. A hand on her shoulder jolted her out of her thoughts. Shizuma craned her head to see that Blake was looking at her worriedly.

"I know that look and it is one that I would rather not see on your face." Blake warmly smiled at the slightly shorter girl and took the liberty of lacing her fingers with Shizuma's own. "Come on," she said, pulling the girl beside her. "If we go now, we'll make it to the mess hall."

The sixth year Saint Miator student was strangely very comfortable in the presence of the foreign student. They walked in silence as the night descended upon them even as they stood before the doors of the mess hall of the Strawberry dormitories. Shizuma felt Blake loosen her grip on her hand knowing that the sight of them together would cause an outburst from the students of the different academies. "Don't."

Blake looked surprised as she felt the Etoile tighten her grip on her hand. "You sure about this? I thought you said you wanted to avoid the trouble your admirers bring." She blinked once and thought that she saw mischief in the eyes of Shizuma. Blake threw her head back in sarcastic laughter. "You're going to use me as an excuse to Miyuki for being late, aren't you?" she asked in a breathy voice. She waved off Shizuma when she tried to reply. "I understand," she cut before the other girl could speak. "I gave you my word that I would help you out."

Shizuma smiled and reached up to tuck a stray lock of Blake's raven hair behind an ear. She then laid her free hand on the door and pushed it open, admitting both girls into the fully packed room. As expected, the sight of the Etoile intimately holding hands with Blake resulted in shouts of disbelief and awe. She stopped in the middle of the room and greeted the students with a bow before rising off her heels to give Blake a peck on her cheek.

Blake assumed that it was her way of saying thank you, but it certainly just amplified the noise in the cafeteria. She kept a blank look in her face as she unlinked her hand from Shizuma's, gave a courteous bow and walked to an empty table.

Miyuki watched the whole spectacle amidst the incredible noise the students were making. She eyed Shizuma and beckoned for her to take her place beside her. "I assume your reason for being late is because of Blake-san?" Despite her the scolding look on her face, there was humor in Miyuki's eyes. "Let me guess, you were touring her around the lush and glorious Astraea hill."

Shizuma shrugged and raised one elegant hand up. The noise instantly died out as she stared at Miyuki with a serious look on her face and the same humor in her eyes. "As you say it, Miyuki." She watched as all the students settled into their chairs waiting for their Etoile to lead the prayer. Shizuma clasped her hands in front of her chest and recited the prayer.

Blake immediately began to eat from her tray of food when Shizuma closed the prayer. Everything that had happened that day really tired her out. She was startled out of her feast when a tall glass of water was set down in front of her. She cheerfully grinned at the girl who had brought her the glass and gestured for her to take the empty chair in front of her.

Amane gratefully slid into the offered chair and looked at Blake interestingly. "Did you enjoy yourself?" She could not help but smirk when she asked the question. "Exploring Astraea hill is fun enough but it got better, hmmmm?" Her eyes flicked to where Shizuma sat talking with Miyuki.

Blake chuckled. "You could say that, but seriously Amane," she protested as she gulped down the water. "If you think there is something going on between me and the Etoile then you're-"

Amane interrupted, "Wrong? Well, maybe right now there is nothing." She gestured at the numerous students looking at their table. "Just to inform you, a lot of the students from the three academies are gunning for you and the Etoile to hook up." Amane let out a loud laugh when Blake spat out the mouthful of water she had just gulped. "What? Don't tell me you didn't expect it!"

Blake shook her head as she wiped her mouth. "I-I don't know what to say," she stuttered. "Although I could say that I rather not have a fan club like you and Shizuma have." She spotted Shizuma looking at her. She regarded Shizuma's eyes with her storm gray ones and received a wink.

Amane let out a chuckle; she had seen the wink that Shizuma had given Blake. "Of course you know that our Etoile is infamous for flirting with at least three girls each day?" Amane continued when Blake shook her head in disbelief. "The strange thing is," she looked at Blake wickedly. "She hasn't been displaying that behavior for quite some time now. "

Blake was now nervously laughing as Amane continued to give her a weird look. "So?" she asked. "Maybe she's just busy or she's found something that has been preoccupying her."

"Of course, Blake," Amane said casually, picking up her cup of tea. "Perhaps she is busy…" she looked at Blake with a teasing look on her face. "Busy having you occupy her time!" Amane laughed because she found watching Blake turning into deeper shades of red amusing.

"Enough!" The foreign transfer student muttered. "Hmphh! I guess I'm just a source of amusement," she said in not so amused voice. She pushed back her chair, got to her feet and gulped down the last bits of water in her glass. "I'll go ahead," she told Amane trying not to notice the stares that the students were giving her. She walked to the door, but before she walked out she did something that caused another uproar. It seemed like she was bowing to all those present in the room, but the students eventually noticed that her eyes were directed at only one person.

Shizuma raised her brows elegantly when she saw that Blake was gazing at her. The edges of her mouth curled into a small smile as Blake straightened from her bow and stalked out of the cafeteria. By now the students from each other academies present in the cafeteria could not stop talking about what had just transpired.

"Now you've done it."

Shizuma turned to Miyuki. "Done what, Miyuki?"

The president of the Saint Miator academy eyed her best friend. "You and Blake have just encouraged the formation of the newest fan club called the 'Etoile-Blake fan club.'" Miyuki did not even bother to control the students. "You've created quite an uproar by flirting constantly with just one girl."

Shizuma bowed her head with her eyes closed as she gave her reply. "Whatever it is that you or these students have observed," she said quietly with her arms crossed over her chest. "It means nothing." She stood from her chair and bade the students goodnight before exiting the room.

As the doors shut behind her, the students continued to buzz about the possibilities between the Blake and their Etoile-sama.

* * *

A week had gone by without the disappearance of the rumors circulating about Shizuma and Blake. Every single student in the campus would seize the opportunity to spot the two girls walking side by side or chatting with each other. Unfortunately for them, their Etoile and the foreign transfer student did not show any romantic feelings nor actions towards each other. To an ordinary person's eyes, the two seemed like a pair of good friends. 

On one occasion that the pair were on their way from the strawberry dormitories to the Saint Miator building, the students were doing what was expected of them: fawning over the two girls. Blake and Shizuma had grown accustomed to the attention and continued to mind their own business.

As they walked down the stone-paved path, a girl with long dark chocolate brown hair and two red bows on either side of her head laughed inwardly at the folly of her co-students. "Ara! Everybody is hoping that there is something going on between those two!" The girl shaded her eyes from the sun as she watched the retreating backs of the Etoile and Blake.

"Chikaru-sama!" A high-pitched voice called.

"Kizuna-chan!" Another voice sounded immediately after the first one. "It's too early in the morning to be shouting like that!"

Chikaru turned on her heel to see her two aides jogging towards her. "Ah good morning Kizuna-chan and Remon-chan!" she greeted them with a warm smile when they skidded to a halt in front of her. She watched as the brown-haired, pigtailed Kizuna grinned up at her as the sea-green haired Remon was bent over trying to catch her breath.

"Chikaru-sama!" Kizuna jumped about excitedly. "Is it true that Etoile-sama and Saberheart-san are together?" Kizuna jumped away from Remon as her friend tried to cover her mouth from saying such a thing.

The student council president of the Lulim academy smiled and shook her head. "Those two are just friends," she assured her two aides. _But perhaps I'll be proven wrong in the future. There may be a chance that Shizuma-san will let go of her past to experience the happiness that she deserves. _Chikaru beckoned for her aides to follow her as she resumed her walk towards their campus.

A trio of girls in the white Spica uniform approached her from behind to walk by her side. "Chikaru-san, good morning!" The other two girls by her side also voiced out their greetings.

Chikaru once again gave a warm smile at the Shion Tomori and her aides Kaname Kenjou and Momomi Kiyashiki. "Good morning to you too, Tomori-san, Kenjou-san and Kiyashiki-san!" She directed her attention at the trio and paid no mind at her rowdy aides. "It is unusual that we are together this morning," she pointed out. Usually they would only be each other's company during student council meetings and other important functions.

Shion let out a sly smile as her aides chuckled at their president's action. "To tell you the truth, the only reason why you see us here is because we are all curious about Etoile-sama's new catch." She walked closer to Chikaru and whispered, "What do you think, Chikaru?"

The chocolate-brown haired put a hand against her cheek as she told the other girl what she thought about the situation. Kaname and Momomi also diligently listened in to their conversation as they followed their president down the path. "It may look like that there's something more to their relationship, but there's something different," she explained. "We all know the history of our Etoile. She does not easily allow herself to get into a serious commitment and as for Blake-san," Chikaru's brows furrowed as she thought. "She seems like she's getting quite chummy with Shizuma, but she's holding back."

Shion nodded her head at the explanation of the other president. "It seems like a logical observation," she said. "Well we will continue to observe this discreetly." Shion told her aides rather seriously.

Kaname and Momomi looked surprised at their president's declaration. "Errm… I do not think this matter is related to our important school activities, Kaichou-san," Kaname offered as she slung her book bag over one shoulder. She settled her other arm around Momomi's shoulders as the honey-brown haired girl smiled up at her.

"I know it isn't related to our work," she told Kaname and Momomi. "But I bet the two of you are curious too about how this will turn out." With a haughty laugh, Shion led her aides on the path going to their Spica academy as Chikaru and her aides went in the opposite direction.

"Well things are going to become more interesting," Chikaru exclaimed.

"How so Kaichou?" Kizuna asked as she and Remon continued to chase each other.

Chikaru looked at the browning leaves of the trees along the paths. "That time of the year is coming," she reminded them with cheer in her voice. When her aides gave her blank stares, she just laughed and did a few waltz steps. "Now you understand?"

Kizuna began to jump up and down again upon realizing what Chikaru meant. "Oh you mean the Autumn Ball!" Kizuna grabbed Remon and swung her around in an attempt to dance. "Oh Remon-chan! You will be my date right?"

Remon clung onto her friend's hands as she was flung about. "Yes I will!" she cried out. "Just put me down!" Remon put a hand on her forehead as she fought off a wave of dizziness when she was finally released by her friend.

"Ah Kizuna-chan! You must control yourself!" Chikaru lightly scolded. "Since the Autumn Ball is coming up, the transformation club will have a lot to do!" Chikaru settled her book bag in front of her as they entered the Lulim building. "Of course the both of you know what it is we will be doing?"

Remon and Kizuna looked at each other then simultaneously cried out their answer. "Costumes!"

* * *

"Shizuma." 

"What is it Blake?" The Etoile was leading their class to the auditorium. She and the rest of her classmates had arrived at their classroom to find a note on the blackboard telling them to proceed to the auditorium. Everyone including Miyuki was puzzled by the sudden change of venue. Besides, what would a history class be doing in the auditorium?

"Are you sure you have no idea why we are transferring venues?" Blake asked as she settled her messenger bag's sling more snugly on her shoulder. For that day, Blake was wearing a black sweater over a white shirt with its collar popped out and a pair of straight-cut black pants. Her favorite leather shoes made shushing noises as she walked along the corridors.

Shizuma shrugged her shoulders and assured Blake that she had no idea about the situation. "It is quite strange though," she told Blake and her other classmates who had gathered around her. "Usually Miyuki and I would have gotten wind of anything since we are part of the student council."

Miyuki nodded her head, buttoning the cuff of one sleeve. "That is true. I feel rather uncomfortable about this particular situation." She and the students rounded a corner and walked towards the familiar wooden doors of the auditorium.

Shizuma let out a soft chuckle, looking teasingly at her friend. "You are not just not used to being left in the dark." The Etoile continued to chuckle as Miyuki glared at her. Instead of paying any more attention to the president's glare, Shizuma turned to Blake and fixed the taller girl's collar, which had been mussed during the walk. Fortunately, the sixth year students did not react as violently whenever Shizuma would do that. They were even luckier because the younger students were at their respective classes.

"You could have just said that my collar was in disarray," she told Shizuma, but let the other girl finish her work. "I believe that I am efficient enough to straighten my own clothes." Blake nodded her thanks to the platinum-haired girl. "Well," she looked at her classmates behind her. "Let us make haste and find out what enigma this is." Blake grabbed both of the handles of the door and pushed them open.

The students quickly filed into the vast auditorium and began to look for their professor. As the last students closed the doors behind them, the stage was suddenly engulfed in brightness. It took a few moments for all the students to adjust their eyesight to clearly see the illuminated stage.

"Ah there you are!" A rather old woman in a simple black habit and graying hair in a tight bun stood in the middle of the stage. "I apologize for the sudden change in your schedule, girls." She directed the apology at all the students but her gaze was settled on Miyuki.

Miyuki bowed in respect to the sister in charge of Saint Miator academy. "We accept your apology, Sister." Miyuki stared at her classmates who followed suit in bowing. "We were rather confused, but seeing that you are in-charge means that this matter is of substantial importance." In the corner of Miyuki's eyes, she could see that Shizuma was leaning against the wall with Blake at her side. _Shizuma of course seems indifferent._

"Well it is quite important, Miyuki," Sister Mizue Hamasaka pointed out. "You are aware of the upcoming Autumn Ball that the three academies will organize." The old but formidable woman watched as the class of roughly forty students voiced out confirmations. "The Autumn Ball is held every year to commemorate that very day in the fall season when Astraea hill's academies were founded." The explanation was meant for Blake who was asking the question to her answer to Shizuma.

Miyuki nodded her head and continued the explanation of the event. "The Autumn Ball is basically like a banquet with dancing," she told Blake who listened to her with interest. "The gist of the whole thing is that it is merely a celebration wherein students could have fun as they remember our glorious history."

Blake gripped her chin as she registered the brief history lesson she was just given. "Now I understand the purpose of this Autumn Ball," she said, looking at Sister Mizue. "What don't understand is why we are here in this auditorium instead of our classroom."

The sister laughed as she gestured at the wide expanse of wooden stage behind her. "Miyuki mentioned that the Autumn Ball was also involved dancing," she started. "Usually the dancing mentioned is just free form. We let the students do whatever they wish on the dance floor." The old woman signaled at the technician's box at the back of the auditorium. "However for this year's ball, the esteemed council of Astraea hill will be in full attendance." She motioned for the students to come up to the stage as music suddenly started to play from the auditorium's sound system. "For the formality of the occasion, they have asked that the students would present a few dance numbers."

"This will involve all the students?" Miyuki questioned.

The head sister of Saint Miator shook her head. "Only selected students will be required to dance. In addition, only selected members of Spica's choir will be performing."

"What about the students of Lulim?" Shizuma voiced out for the first time since entering the auditorium.

"They have already volunteered to handle the feast and the costumes for the dancers."

Miyuki rubbed the bridge of her nose, forcing her mind to take in all the information. It was expected that Lulim would take the behind-the-scenes roles. They never really bothered about getting the spotlight. "So what we are going to do today is to pick those students from our class who could participate in the dance?"

Sister Mizue smiled at Miyuki and clapped her hands for attention. "Sharp as usual Miyuki!" she complimented the blue-haired girl. "Ah that reminds me," she looked at Shizuma. "As the Etoile it is already expected that you are to participate in the dance festivities." That was always the case with the Etoile. "Alright! The rest of you pair up and we'll begin."

Instead of going up to the stage, Blake dropped her bag on an auditorium chair and settled herself into another. "I believe that I will prove to be useless in this," she explained to Miyuki and the sister. "Dancing is something that does not come naturally to me."

The sister nodded her head. "It is alright, Blake," she said. "As a transfer student you are not bound to participate in every single event of Astraea hill. Perhaps in other events?" The sister smiled when Blake gave a slight nod of agreement then proceeded to instructing the class.

An hour had gone by when the bell tolled, signaling the end of class. Amazingly, the sister was able to pick out the best dancers from the class in that short amount of time. As she dismissed the class to go to their next classes, she signaled for Miyuki and Shizuma to stay behind. "We will be going through each of the classes of Spica and Miator to pick the rest of the dancers." After a few more reminders, they were finally released from the auditorium.

Blake stood up and slung her bag onto her shoulder as the other two girls approached. She listened into the plans of Miyuki as she talked to Shizuma about them. "I was wondering," she said when their conversation entered a lull. "Why didn't sister ask Shizuma to dance with the rest of the class on the stage?"

Miyuki chortled at the question. "Everyone knows of the superb prowess of the Etoile when it comes to academics and the arts, which includes dancing." She smirked at Shizuma who kept a blank look on her face. "It was not necessary for sister to make Shizuma prove that she is still a superb dancer."

Blake let out a low whistle and showed Shizuma a childish grin. "I cannot wait to witness this prowess of yours, Etoile-sama." The raven-haired girl threw her head back in laughter when Shizuma narrowed her eyes at her in reply.

"Come on now," Miyuki scolded her companions. "Save your teasing for later. We have a class to get to!" The trio of girls picked up their pace as they waded through a crowd of students.

* * *

**I need some help. I haven't posted a story for the longest time and i don't recall having any difficulty with the format of my documents whenever i uploaded back then. if you're wondering how long it's been since i last uploaded, i'm guessing about 2-3 years. hahaha! **

**anyway, could any of you give me advice on how to edit the structure of my document? the only thing that i really want to fix is the indentation at the beginning of each paragraphs. i tried indenting the paragraphs using the edit/preview feature of the site, but it doesn't work. is there another way? as soon as i figure out to do that, i'll upload the rest of what i finished so far and i'll edit the chapters that i already posted.  
**

**thank you in advance!**

**_shadowed one_  
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	5. Autumn Hues

_Chapter 5__ "Autumn Hues"_

"How goes the progress of selecting the dancers for the Autumn Ball?"

The student councils of each of the academies were in one of the conference rooms of Saint Miator discussing the Autumn Ball. Astoundingly, Miyuki was able keep a grip on Shizuma who usually did disappearing acts for such meetings.

"Aside from the seven pairs that have already been picked from Miator," Shion started, referring to the small stack of papers set before her. "We have also picked seven pairs from Spica, which would make fourteen pairs all in all."

Chikaru was sketching in her costume design notebook when she looked up to comment, "With the Etoile and whoever her partner will be, that would make fifteen pairs all in all." The Lulim president agilely shaded whatever figures she was drawing in her notebook. Focusing on her sketching she asked, "The question is who will be the partner of our Etoile-sama?"

Every person present in the conference room turned to look at Shizuma who had her usual relaxed and calm demeanor on her face. She made no spoken reaction to the question just posed and just set her clasped hands on the table in front of her.

When Miyuki cleared her throat, everyone turned to look at her instead. "Chikaru of course is correct about this matter that is why this meeting is necessary," she explained. "As for the partner of Shizuma, do you have any suggestions?"

"Actually," Chikaru looked up from her sketches and smiled at the students. "The costume that I have been sketching for the dance partner of the Etoile," she continued, shuffling through her sketches and flashing one particular sketch. "I made it to especially suit someone with the physical build of students like Kaname-san."

Shion rested her cheek against her hand as she looked at the sketch closely. The outfit was simple but elegant. It was composed of sleek black corduroy pants, long sleeved white shirt, silver vest, blazer matching the pants and silvery green cravat. "It looks good although if you designed such an outfit for someone of Kaname's build, there are only a few students who are like her," Shion pointed out.

"Obviously Kaname is out of the list as the partner of Shizuma," Miyuki declared, resting her elbows lightly on the edge of the table. "Kaname and Momomi are both participating in the dance for the ball." She jabbed at the list of the names of the students in front of her. "Who are we left with then?"

Kaname ran a hand through her short black hair while watching the others burrow deep into their thoughts. "There is only one other person who has the same build as I have," she enlightened them with an unreadable look on her face. Momomi and her exchanged furtive glances with each other before Kaname gave her answer, "Amane."

Shion let out a defeated sigh and let her head fall onto the hard surface of the table with a thump. "You just named the person who does not give a care for attention," Shion droned out, her face still in contact with the table. "If you really wish for her to be Shizuma's partner, I'll need help to convince her."

Miyuki nodded in agreement. "You shall have it then," she replied, standing up from her chair and gathering her papers. "I will accompany you to your school to try to convince her." It was a signal that the meeting has already ended as the three student councils gathered their things and prepared to exit the room. "Shizuma," she called over her shoulder before she stepped out of the room.

"Yes Miyuki?" The Etoile was still on her seat thoughtfully looking out the window. The streams of light that entered the furnished room played against Shizuma's ivory complexion. Her thoughtful demeanor was always compared to the calm before a storm.

Miyuki was caught for a few moments wondering what was on the mind of her closest friend. "Would you like to come along?" she finally asked. She doubted that her friend would bother though. Shizuma had always been disinterested after their fourth year in Saint Miator.

As expected, the Etoile politely declined. "You go ahead without me, Miyuki," she gave a soft smile at the president. "I have other business to attend to, unfortunately." She resumed thoughtfully looking out the window without looking again at Miyuki.

_Other business?_ Miyuki thought forlornly knowing what her friend really had in mind. _The only other business you have is to dwell on your depressing past and hold all the pain inside yourself. _

"Rokojou-san," Chikaru called out with a somewhat worried look on her face.

Miyuki shook out of her thoughts and turned to smile at the younger student council president. "Hmmm? Yes Chikaru?" These days she was prone to falling into spells of deep thought and it had only brought her more difficulty with her position.

The Lulim president shook her head walked up to the side of Miyuki. "You just seemed really troubled," she observed. "Well you usually become like that whenever it involves our Etoile. You worry for her, don't you?" She had stated the most obvious thing.

Miyuki shook her head deciding not to go into the details of the matter and followed Shion out of the Miator campus. It was definitely going to be long day if they were to convince the prince of Spica to participate in the Autumn Ball as the dance partner of Shizuma.

* * *

The cafeteria was amass with numerous students as Blake tried to enjoy her afternoon by having some tea. The only good thing coming out of her decision was the tea. The cafeteria was so noisy that Blake thought that if she stayed any longer her head would explode. She wondered though why there were so many students in the room when it was not even mealtime. 

"Alright everyone! Settle down!" The Lulim student council aides called for attention. Kizuna waved a sheaf of papers in the air as Remon settled herself into a chair. "We know all of you are excited and want to be more involved in the autumn ball, but please!" she pleaded loudly, hoping that the sea of black, white and beige-red would settled down. "As soon as you all calm down we could get all of you into committees."

Blake watched in amusement as other girls, student leaders Blake guessed, stepped up to the front to help calm the horde of students. After a few more minutes of chaos, the students were finally seated orderly but nonetheless excited. "Finally!" Blake exclaimed, downing the last bits of her tea and refilling it.

Kizuna stood on a chair and cleared her throat to get the attention of her audience. "As you all know, the Autumn Ball is in two days and we must recruit members for each of our committees to immediately start preparations," she nodded at Remon who noisily dragged up a chair and hauled herself up onto it.

Remon pushed her glasses farther up the bridge of her nose as she read from her own sheaf of papers. "We have a total of three committees, which are the decoration committee, the entertainment committee and the food and service committee," she enumerated promptly. "We will be laying out the sign-up sheets in a few moments on that long table," she pointed at the table set against the wall.

A hand shot up in the air from the audience. "Are we allowed to join any committee?" The salmon-haired Nagisa asked.

Kizuna nodded her head. "All students regardless of their school are allowed to join any committee," she replied before wincing in pain from the sharp elbow that was rammed into her side. She glared at Remon as she continued to say, "Although Chikaru-sama has requested that Lulim students would help out in the food and services committee."

Remon added, "It is not mandatory though. It's just that Chikaru-sama has arranged for everything in the food and service committee and Lulim students would be generally used to the work ethics set by our president."

"Any other questions?"

The Lulim student council aides and the other student volunteers waited for a few moments and scanned the audience if there were any more clarifications. When there were none Kizuna exclaimed, "Alright then! You could start signing up! Now wait!" she shouted as a wall of students came rushing towards them. "Let us do this in an orderly fashion!" Her request was drowned out by the waves of students that swamped the girls.

Blake chuckled under her breath as she watched the students wreak havoc in the cafeteria. She wrapped her hand around the handle of the teapot and tipped the spout into her cup for more tea. A scowl formed on Blake's face when only a few drops fell towards the bottom of her cup. She knew that she would not be able to refill the teapot due to the students who crowded the cafeteria. She was just about ready to leave when a steaming fresh pot of tea was settled in front of her.

"I managed to snag a fresh pot of tea without getting injured by that mob."

Blake looked up to see a weary looking Amane in her usual riding attire. "I am impressed with whatever skill it is that you have that helped you do that task," she teased and poured both of them some tea. "How goes it? You seem really tired."

Amane sighed and sipped her hot tea carefully. "I am tired but not because of riding," she explained in disdain. "I was hounded down by the Rokojou-san and Tomori-san this morning." She looked gloomily into her cup of tea. "I've been coerced into participating in the ball."

"Oh? How bad can it be?"

Amane scowled at Blake. "They're making me dance," she said flatly.

The older girl stared at Amane for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. "I'm sorry," Blake sputtered as she tried to control herself. "But dancing does not seem that bad!"

The Spica rider glared back and crossed her arms over her chest. "I am to dance with the Etoile herself!" she explained hotly. "Do you know how troublesome that's going to be for me? I have a hard enough time trying to get away from the mob of students who constantly chase after me. By dancing with the Etoile, it will increase the population of that mob and I will never have peace and quiet to myself again!"

Blake had stopped laughing during the course of Amane's rain although her eyes still crinkled in amusement. "I understand Amane, but what can you do about it? I could keep you company if you want," she offered. "I'm not doing anything anyway for that ball."

"Really? You aren't doing anything Blake-san?"

Blake's head snapped up to eye Kizuna who was standing behind Amane. "Well," she mumbled out. "Yeah… I am not doing anything as of now for the Autumn Ball." She frantically eyed Amane silently asking her to come to her aid, but received a devilish grin instead.

Kizuna hopped around Amane and dropped her sheaf of papers on the table's smooth surface. "We need more help in the food and service committee particularly for the service part," she scanned through the sign-up sheets for the committees. "We're in need of one more person to wait on tables and since you're not doing anything we'll just put your name right here!" Kizuna grabbed a pen from her blouse pocket and immediately scribbled down Blake's name despite the girl's protests.

Remon came up to them and looked at the completed list of committees. "Looks like everything is filled up!" She assisted Kizuna in packing the documents into a large brown envelope before turning to face Blake. "Blake-san since you are assigned to wait on tables, we need you to come down to Lulim academy and have Chikaru-sama take your body measurements for your outfit." She and Remon bowed to the older girls. "We'll be expecting you!"

Blake leaned back heavily against the back of her chair and assumed a gloomy look on her face as Amane took her previous role of laughing and teasing. "Stop laughing ok?" she muttered in an annoyed tone. "I was just struck by Karma."

"Well at least you're going to be doing something useful in that ball," she pointed out when she finally got control of herself. "And it would definitely make me feel better that I'm not the only one who's going to suffer."

Blake grabbed her cup of tea and gulped down its contents, obviously trying to hide the furious red that crept up her cheeks. "Shut up."

* * *

Chikaru smiled in amusement as she watched Blake enter her office stiffly. It was nearly five in the afternoon when the foreign transfer student walked through her door. "Ah Blake-san!" she greeted cheerfully. "I did not expect you to be here so soon after just recently volunteering to join our committee." Her eyes twinkled upon seeing Blake mutter something under her breath. "Now, now don't be like that! Waiting on tables isn't such a hard job!" She opened her desk drawer and pulled out her measuring tape. "Just look at the bright side! The outfit I'm going to be making for you will be yours for good!" 

"I don't like dresses or skirts."

Chikaru let out a laugh after hearing Blake's very blunt reply. "Well as much as I want to see you in one, your built is more suited for something else," she assured the other girl, advancing with her measuring tape. "Besides you'll be moving around a lot in this job and skirt or dress will definitely slow you down." She pulled on Blake's shirt to straighten it. "Now just stay still and relax!" she ordered sternly as Blake took a step back. "This is just going to take a moment and then you could be on your way!"

Blake resigned herself to the Lulim president's treatment and waited patiently. She looked up at the ceiling as Chikaru briskly wound the tape around various parts of her body. Fortunately, the president was right for the body measuring only took a moment to do. "What outfit is it that you will be making for me?"

Chikaru winked at the raven-haired girl and wagged her finger. "You will see although I assure you it will be something to your liking so you have nothing to worry about." She went back to her desk, pulled out her sketchbook and began to draw on one of the pages. "Would you like some refreshments Blake-san?" she asked and pointed at the tray of pastries and a pitcher of juice on another table. "You may have some but dinner is soon."

Blake shook her head. "It'll spoil my appetite for dinner." She bowed in farewell to the younger girl and turned on her heel to face the door. "Would you like to come with me to the cafeteria, Chikaru-san?" she asked, her hand resting on the doorknob.

The Lulim president shook her head in declination and waved her off as she continued to draw in her sketchbook. "It's alright Blake-san," she insisted. "I'll be there promptly though. I just need to finish this sketch of Shizuma-san's dress and then I'll be on my way. I'll see you in the cafeteria later then!"

Blake nodded and stepped through the open door and closed it noiselessly behind her. She was still hitting herself inside for allowing herself to slip like that earlier. If she had watched what she said, she would not have been involved in such an occasion. _That's__ what you call Karma,_ she thought ruefully, remembering what she did to Amane earlier that day.

She kept a steady gait as she made her way out of the Lulim academy towards the Strawberry dorms. Blake was calculating in her head that if she kept this pace she would reach the cafeteria when there weren't as many students and her usual table would be vacant. The reason why she wanted to reach the cafeteria at an earlier time was because of how uncomfortable she felt when the full cafeteria would turn their eyes on her whenever she'd enter.

Thankfully, her calculations were right. She entered the cafeteria and found it to be filled at less than half of its capacity. Things also seemed to become better when she found her usual table to be vacant and that the food they were serving for that night was one of her favorites; it was steak. Blake smiled when a certain memory of her being repeatedly slapped on the back by Kairos after choking on a particularly large piece of steak.

As time wore on, the numerous cafeteria's hanging lamps lit up and brightened the room as well as warm the atmosphere. Groups of students filed into the cafeteria as the blue skies gave way to hues of red and orange. It was not long when the student council members of each school walked into the large hall, which signaled the start of usual ritual before meals.

Blake resigned herself to flexing her long slender hands as she looked through her lashes at the rest of the students settling down. Her storm gray eyes halted on the familiar form that sat beside Miator's student council president. As usual, Shizuma looked as indifferent as ever. _What else is there to expect __anyway__ from her?_

As soon as the prayer was recited and done with, students began to feast upon the food set on their tables. Blake was sawing at her steak with her knife when a rumpled looking Amane entered the cafeteria. The girl was still dressed in her riding attire and looked famished as she searched the hall for a vacant seat. Blake waved a hand up in the air and motioned for the rider to join her at her empty table.

"Thanks," she told the girl gratefully. "Is that steak? Good thing I decided to push through

with attending supper even though I knew I was going to be late." Amane nodded her thanks as a server set a plate of steak, potatoes and vegetables in front of her.

The raven-haired girl took the initiative and poured both of them some tea as Amane began to devour her food. "Riding practice?" Blake guessed, grasping her cup of tea and bringing it to her lips.

Amane continued to chew her food as she nodded her head in response. Swallowing her food she explained, "There's a competition coming up in about a week and a half. I'm not a procrastinator so I train as early as I can." She gulped down her tea and polished off the remaining items left on her plate. "That was sumptuous," she sighed, leaning back against her chair.

Blake chuckled as she too polished her plate before pouring them another round of tea. "I never thought that I'd see someone polish of such a large food course in a few minutes," she pointed out, laughter twinkling in her eyes. "Although Kairos tells me that I eat like a horse."

The comment resulted in startled laughter from Amane. "That's amusing." Her smile widened when Blake rubbed the back of her head in slight embarrassment. "You have nothing to be ashamed of," she convinced the older girl. "I was told the same thing except that it would vary from horses to other animals known to have big appetites."

Their conversation spanned on about other innocent things like hobbies, favorite food and music. Other than Kairos, Amane was the next closest friend that Blake ever had in her lifetime. She could not help but feel elated when she realized it. Amidst the noisy clattering of utensils against plates a clear voice rung out, catching the immediate attention of the students.

"May we have your attention please?" Miyuki was standing at the head of her table. She beckoned for the other student council presidents and their aides to position themselves at her side. "As all of you know, the Autumn Ball is in two days time," she started, palming the rolled-up paper that was handed over to her by Remon. "Since all of you have signed up in a corresponding committee, we will be briefing each committee about their duties, which will start tomorrow until the event itself."

Shion stepped up beside Miyuki and cleared her throat to silence the sudden chatter produced by the students. "Those students from Spica and Miator will continue on with their dance rehearsals until the morning off the Autumn Ball," she announced formally. "Rehearsals will of course still be at the same venue. We also request that all of the dancers be in attendance tomorrow for the fitting of your outfits."

The students began to babble once more as Miyuki called for Chikaru to give her own announcements. "Ara! As the head of the food and service committee and the costume committee," Chikaru started, taking one of the clothing bags that Kizuna held for her. "I would like to request also that the food and service committee also come to me tomorrow to fit their clothes." She carefully unzipped the cloth bag and revealed the servers' outfits.

The students gasped in glee and awe as they gazed at the beautiful piece of clothing that the Lulim student council president had designed. The crimson dress would drop down to mid-thigh level and the sleeves were short and puffed up. Bright gold thread bordered the sleeves, collar and dress's skirt. A frilly white apron with lace topped off the crimson dress and a thin gold ribbon was tied around the collar of the dress.

Blake felt her face blanch in color as she stared at the outfit for the servers. She was insisting in her mind that she had heard Chikaru assure her that she was not going to make a dress for her. She shivered as an image of her dressed in the outfit popped into her head. Blake hurriedly shook her head to shoo the image away. She now wearily watched as Chikaru took another clothing bag from Kizuna.

Chikaru scanned the room and eventually laid her eyes on Blake. She smiled as she zipped down the clothing bag and revealed the next outfit. "I made a special outfit for one of our servers in the committee," she informed all the students who were heatedly whispering to each other. "This outfit here will be worn by Blake-san."

Numerous students burst out in squeals and coos as they gazed at the other lovely piece of clothing while Blake gave out a loud sigh of relief when she saw what the outfit was. The outfit consisted of dark grey-black slacks, a long sleeved collared white polo shirt and a dark grey black vest, which was to be worn over the shirt. The vest had a series of thin vertical silver stripes on it while a thin crimson ribbon was tied around the collar of the polo shirt. All the colors used in the outfit complimented the color of Blake's eyes, hair and skin.

"Do I have your approval, Blake-san?" Chikaru asked with merriment coating her voice. From her position at the front of the room, she could easily see the obvious look of relief and pleasure on the face of the raven-haired girl.

Blake forced herself to nod her head despite the hundreds of pairs of eyes that were settled on her after the Chikaru asked her question. She glared at Amane who was giving her a goofy smile. "Stop giving me that look!" she muttered. "Besides, you should probably look at your outfit," Blake teased as Amane also visibly blanched in color.

The gathering ended a half an hour later after Chikaru had presented the remaining outfits that she had brought with her. Amane's outfit was a simple but elegant white suit and a silvery-white undershirt as Shizuma's was a beautiful and classy glittery silver gown. Students happily gossiped with each other about the beautiful array of clothes that was just presented to them as they made their way to their respective bedrooms. Everyone was so excited despite feeling the remaining two days would take forever.

* * *

_**hello readers! let me apologize first for not being to update sooner. i've been very busy in university unfortunately. **_

_**next chapter is the Autumn Ball! hurrah! thanks for taking time to read this story!**_

_**Nightwing of the Azure Shadow : Hey! thanks for being the first reader! about your comment about no one reading this story, well i guess people aren't too open about the things that i have changed in the story. about Shizuma being flirty and straight-forward, well we all know that she's always been like that when a "pretty thing" catches her eye. well i've fulfilled your wish of updating and i'll be sure to try to come up with another chapter within this week!  
**_


	6. Of Suits, Gowns and Gliding Feet

_Chapter 6 :"Of Suits, Gowns and Gliding Feet"_

"Amane! Don't do anything that will mess your clothes up!"

The prince of Spica sighed and roughly stuffed her hands into her pockets. The command had immediately taken an effect on her original plan of taking a ride before the ball. She had intended to saddle Star Bride and run off somewhere just to miss the ball, but it looks like the student council had been prepared for her escape.

Shion was filling out some last minute paperwork on her desk as Kaname and Momomi did some last going-overs of their outfits and appearances. Kaname looked splendid in a midnight blue suit with silver embroidery at the cuffs and collar while Momomi gracefully moved about in a pale yellow dress. The student council president of Spica academy narrowed her eyes at Amane who was shuffling her feet like a dejected child.

Amane sighed sat down hard on the couch behind her. "Yes Kaichou," she muttered, gloomily looking at the darkening skies outside the windows. In just a few hours, she was going to be the center of everyone's attention and she hated it. She hated it when the students would squeal over her and she hated it more that the very fact she was asked to dance with the Etoile was rooted in politics.

"Amane," Kaname called her out of her thoughts. "Stop moping already! The sooner you get this over with the sooner you can get rid of your formal clothes!" She turned to smile at Momomi who had linked their arms together.

"Easy for you to say."

Shion stood from her desk and flipped her blonde hair behind her shoulders. Even just a simple movement made her crimson gown move gracefully. "Just think of the glory that you will bring our school!" she reminded the younger but taller girl. "It looks like it's just about time to assemble in the main courtyard of Astraea Hill," she announced, glancing at the wall clock and noting that it was five in the afternoon.

Amane opened her mouth to retort about Shion's statement of glory, but clamped her lips shut instead. She let out a loud sigh and allowed herself to follow the president and her two aides out the doors and onwards to the venue of the Autumn Ball. "This is definitely going to be a long night."

* * *

Chikaru stifled a giggle as she struggled with the tall and gloomy looking Blake Saberhart. Despite the fact that Blake's job for the event was relatively simple, she was making it look like an ordeal. "Blake! Come on!" Chikaru coaxed as she held out the grey-black vest for her. "Don't be such a child! It's just clothes! Didn't you ever wear clothes like these before?" 

Blake shook her head while retaining the miserable look on her face. "The closest attire to this were the clothes I wore during a court session when the Lionheart organization was vying for custody over me." She took the vest out of Chikaru's hands and shrugged it on. "The outfit you made for me does not compare to the one I wore that day," she explained, allowing Chikaru to button down the vest over her long sleeved collared shirt.

"Well think of it this way," she suggested as she stepped back to look Blake over. "Waiting on tables does not really attract much attention." Chikaru gave an approving smile and grabbed an amber cravat from her desk and stepped towards the raven haired girl. "Now don't do that!" she scolded when Blake took a wary step backward. "I decided to change from the red ribbon to this cravat," she explained as she stood on her tiptoes with the cravat in one hand. She flipped the collar up and proceeded to tie the cravat around her neck then flipped it back down when she was done.

Blake straightened and walked towards the full-length mirror in Chikaru's office. "It looks…" she started as she stared at her own self. "Good," she finished when she saw the reflection of Chikaru standing behind her.

Chikaru could not help but let out a giggle as Blake stroked the gold cravat tied around her neck. "That's it that you can say about yourself?" she demanded. "You don't just look good! You look great!" She reached up, placed both of her hands on Blake's shoulders and steered her towards the door. "Well we should get going already! Part of waiting on tables is ushering the guests to their tables."

Blake bowed her head down in submission and allowed the pink-gowned president to push her out of the door. "What tables will I be waiting at anyway, Chikaru?" she asked as both of them quickly walked through the halls of Lulim towards the exit that would easily bring them to the main courtyard. The skies outside the windows were turning from its usual orange to dark blue as the sun continued its descent.

Chikaru looked up at the ceiling in thought before answering Blake. "If I remember correctly, your name was assigned to serve the table belonging to the student councils of each school and the table belonging to one of the teachers." She patted Blake's back when the gloom on her face became more apparent. "Why are you worrying? All the students in the student council table are of your acquaintance and the teachers also know you."

"I just don't like this kind of thing," Blake said bluntly as they walked out one last door into the lamp-lit stone path. "You must realize that I have never done such things when I was still with the organization." She and Chikaru politely greeted other passing girls as they hurried to the venue of the event. "I also hardly associated with anyone my age because the people of the organization were all adults." The raven haired girl nervously ran her hands over and over again through her sable black hair as they neared the courtyard.

Chikaru let out another sigh as she stepped in front of Blake and continued to walk backwards as she gently fixed the taller girl's hair. "If you keep doing that to your hair, you'll look like you just got out of bed when we arrive at the courtyard!" She gave another last look at Blake's appearance before returning to walking normally at Blake's side. "Well, look who we have here!" she pointed at a familiar figure who was standing against a tree.

Blake squinted at the direction Chikaru was pointing at and held back a grin when she realized who the person was. It somewhat made Blake feel better that her friend Amane was also sulking at what she was supposed to do for the Autumn Ball. She knew that Amane had it worse because she had to dance with Shizuma in front of hundreds of students. She casually waved at Amane trying to give an encouraging smile but failed due to her current feelings of being miserable. She could not go to the other girl because Chikaru was towing her to the gathering of the waitresses.

"Are we all here?" Chikaru looked at least twenty faces looking at her intently in their waitress outfits. "The guests should be arriving anytime now," she informed the girls. "Each of you know what to do. Remon-chan," she called out for her aide. "Did I assign Blake to do anything else aside from waiting on tables?"

Remon tipped her glasses up the bridge of her nose and looked at her small notebook. "Aside from waiting on tables, she is to usher Astraea Hill's council to their tables. From what I know, it was arranged that the council members will be brought here via horse and carriage from the base of the hill." She closed her small notebook and pocketed it.

Chikaru nodded her head in approval and looked at Blake for any violent reactions. Just looking at the girl's face gave her enough of an answer. The raven haired girl had a resigned look on her face and merely clasped her hands behind her back as she waited for orders. "Well Blake, you are to position yourself at that side of the courtyard and wait for the carriages to arrive." She pointed at the area decorated with lit candles and flowers.

Blake gave a stiff salute and strode towards her position. Once she got to the right place she stood at attention and waited for the carriages to get there. "This has got to be the worse torture that I have experienced," she muttered as she spotted the first carriage coming towards her. She waited as the carriage halted in front of her before she stepped forward and opened the door. She bowed deeply and helped the older but dignified ladies out of the carriage.

One of the old women stepped forward and smiled at Blake after she got off the carriage. "We meet again Blake Saberhart," she greeted Blake warmly, offering her hand to the tall girl.

Blake blinked first at the older woman and then at the hand that was offered to her. Then it struck her. This old woman received her with the most kindness and shook her hand before leaving her to Miyuki and Shizuma after that first meeting with the council. Blake bowed down in respect before taking the offered hand in a handshake. "It is an honor for me to be able to meet you once again."

The old woman shook Blake's hand firmly and glanced at the numerous activities happening in the courtyard. "I see that you are already involved in the school's numerous activities despite being relatively new," she said as Blake ushered her and her companions to their assigned tables.

Blake blushed and helped the old woman into her seat. "At first I did not want to get involved since I do not have much knowledge about the events of these schools," she explained, standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "But then I was encouraged to help out and I eventually gave in." She knew she was lying, but she knew that if she gave the real reason, Miyuki and the other student council presidents would have her head.

The formidable councilwoman grasped Blake's sleeved arm in an assuring manner and motioned for her to get back to her duties.

As Blake walked back to her post, she spotted Amane still looking miserable at her table. She was strategically seated with her friends from the horseback-riding club but it seemed like a weak consolation for the girl in exchange for dancing with the Etoile. Blake waved her hand once to Amane before resuming her job of ushering the other council women out of the next carriages and bringing them to their tables.

* * *

"Miyuki I am warning you!" 

Miyuki Rokojou could not help but grin upon teasing her dearest friend. Ever since Kaori passed away, Shizuma rarely showed any emotion. In cases such as this, she merely brushed off the teasing. "You're being touchier than usual," Miyuki pointed out as she lightly set her elbows against their table. She was clothed in an elegant black gown, which fell to her calves and covered three-fourths of her arms.

"Did it ever occur to you that being the Etoile doesn't mean that I like showing myself off in such extravagant events like this?" she retorted in a hushed tone. The other student council members from each school fortunately did not seem to notice the exchange between them.

Miyuki sighed as she rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Just get this night over with and everything will be back as it usually is until the next event of course." She and the rest of the student council members from each school talked casually until they were signaled that the dance was the next on the program. "You should get ready, I'll go get Amane," she told her friend as she climbed to her feet made her way towards Amane who was already on her feet anticipating the dance.

"I know," Amane said before Miyuki could say a word. "I'll do it properly alright?" She straightened her suit jacket and started to walk to the edge of the dance floor when her eyes latched onto a particularly dangerous sight. One of the horses of the carriages was becoming restless. This particular mare never showed bad temperament and was known to be one of the gentlest horses of the Spica stables. One of her club members was struggling to calm the mare down but to no avail. "She'll end up getting herself hurt if she continues to do that," Amane said to herself, changing her course towards the girl and the mare.

"Amane!"

The girl looked back to see Shion Tomori beckoning for her to hurry up and get back in position. She mouthed an "I'll be quick" and immediately found herself at the side of her club member. She pushed the girl away from the now angry mare and tried to soothe her. "Easy girl!" She said gently as she tried to grab a hold of the mare's bridle. Just as she thought she had the horse under control, the mare suddenly let out an angry scream and reared up on its hind legs, putting Amane off balance. What came afterwards was a dull crunch as the horse fell forward onto its front hooves.

"Amane-senpai!" the student cried out as she dropped onto her knees in front of her captain.

The prince of Spica bit back a shout of pain and instead dropped to the ground, clutching her calf as pain shot through her leg from her foot. "I was careless," she gasped out in pain as Chikaru, Miyuki and Shion walked towards them quickly to assess the situation.

Shion squatted and looked carefully at the right foot of Amane as Remon and Kizuna stood at the center of the dance floor trying to distract the audience from what had just happened. "It looks like your foot was badly bruised from that crushing blow from the horse. I cannot certainly say though if any of the bones are broken though," she informed Amane and the others. "She's going to need professional attention for that."

Miyuki looked panicked as she looked behind her at the dance floor. "What are we going to do now? They're about to start the dance and you all know that we can't let Shizuma do a solo act!" She started to pace back and forth.

Chikaru rubbed her chin in thought as she tried to sort through this very troublesome situation. She looked around to see her waitresses still dutifully going around, balancing trays on their hands and offering food and drink to the guests and other students. Her eyes then rested on a figure gathering empty plates and glasses from a half empty table. In one of the few times that school year, Chikaru let out a very wide grin.

* * *

Blake was busy clearing up tables when she felt the tray on her right palm disappear from her grip and two other pairs of hands grabbing each of her arms and dragging her backwards into a secluded area of the courtyard. She tried to protest, but when she was set on her feet in front of a grinning Chikaru a scowl immediately formed on her lips. 

"Oh Blake!" she said in a sing-song voice as she looked at the raven haired girl wistfully.

"No!" Blake said with her teeth grit together. "Whatever it is you're going to make me do, I absolutely refuse! All I was to do was wait on tables!" Blake felt her cheeks flush red in anger but more in annoyance as Chikaru gently patted her cheek.

"Ara! Such a temper you have, Blake-san! Look I know I promised you that you wouldn't do anything aside from the job I assigned to you, but you see," she gestured at Amane who was being helped towards the infirmary. "We're kind of in a fix right now."

Blake stared at Amane then looked at Chikaru with a horrified look on her face. "You cannot expect me to take her place! Do you think I could learn a dance in just a few minutes?" Blake demanded, hoping that it would throw off the plan of the Lulim council president.

Chikaru dusted her hands calmly and smiled at the sudden wideness of Blake's storm gray eyes. "We won't know that unless we try."

* * *

Shizuma stood by herself as she gave a strange look at what Chikaru's aides were doing in the middle of the dance floor. At first, it seemed that they were merely giving a few announcements, which then developed into a weird combined performance of stand-up comedy, singing and dancing. She knew that something was obviously wrong and Miyuki walking that fast gait of hers proved it. 

"Shizuma, I'm sorry but Amane got injured by one of the carriage horses just awhile ago. The mare either badly bruised or may have broken the bones in her foot." Miyuki looked at how Chikaru's aides were doing almost anything to distract the audience. "It looks like we'll have to take you out of the program."

Before Miyuki could say anything else, Chikaru walked up to her with a nervous looking Blake linked to her arm. "I have a suggestion, but I must admit that it isn't full proof," she told Miyuki and Shizuma who looked at Chikaru and Blake in a confused manner. She pushed Blake towards Shizuma and motioned for her to explain.

Blake nervously began to run her hands once again through her straight sable black hair. "This was not my idea and if I could I'd run away now," Blake stammered.

Chikaru laughed and lightly punched Blake's arm. "I said explain, Blake not say why you don't want to do it!" she chided at the older girl. "Look, as I said it isn't full proof but what choice do we have?" she told Miyuki and Shizuma. "I gave Blake a crash course on the dance that you're supposed to perform."

Miyuki blinked at Chikaru and looked at her wristwatch incredulously. "A crash course?" she clarified. "It must have been around twenty to twenty-five minutes since you mysteriously disappeared after Amane got injured!" she exclaimed as she worriedly saw the impatient looks developing on the councilwomen's faces.

Chikaru tipped her head to the side and smiled. "I did all that I can with her and Blake really did try her best to learn all the steps in twenty minutes," she said in her usual cheery tone. "Why not give her a try Shizuma?"

Miyuki was about to protest the idea when Shizuma stepped towards Blake and linked her arm into the other girl's arm. "Shizuma! Are you really sure about this?"

Shizuma smiled up at Blake and led her towards the dance floor. "Don't worry Miyuki," she assured her friend. "I am pretty sure Blake here is a pretty skilled dancer." She ignored the pleading looks that Blake was giving her as they finally stood at the edge of the dance floor along with the other dance couples. "Stop giving me those looks, Blake."

"How can I not give you these looks when you know that I can't do this!"

Shizuma chuckled deeply and leaned up to whisper in Blake's ear. "I trust Chikaru's judgment," she explained. "Besides, all you need to do is just look in my eyes and follow my lead." Shizuma tightened her grip on Blake's forearm as they were called onto the dance floor.

Blake hissed back, "I hardly believe that a twenty minute crash course on a dance and merely looking into your eyes will make me a professional dancer!" She was about to counter back with more admonishments when Shizuma gently placed a pale hand against Blake's cheek. "What is it now? Do I have to imagine that I'm light as a feather so that you could lead me around?"

Shizuma shook her head as she grabbed Blake's arms and placed them on her waist and on her upper back. "If you stop worrying and you follow the minimal advice that I gave you, everything will be alright," she assured the older girl. "If we get through this in one piece, I have a surprise for you." Shizuma's amber eyes seemed to twinkle as the light from lamps shone in the area. "Ready?" she asked as the music began.

Blake let out a shaky breath and tried to loosen up as she struggled to remember the sequence of steps that Chikaru had earlier taught her. "Look Shizuma, I want to apologize ahead-"

"You don't need to apologize, Blake," Shizuma interrupted as she gazed up into storm gray eyes. "We all know that this is so last minute and no one expects you to do this perfectly." She silenced Blake by tightening her hold on Blake's hand. She motioned for Blake with her eyes and said, "You have to dip me to start this dance," she said softly.

Blake snapped out of her confused thoughts and immediately sent Shizuma into a low dip, her strong arms able to support the weight of the Etoile. _Next is that glide step thing, _Blake ran the next sequence in her head as she let Shizuma also lead her into the next few steps. She spotted Chikaru giving her a thumbs up from her seat, which distracted Blake enough to accidentally brush shoulders with another pair.

"Hey be careful!" It turned out it was Kaname and Momomi who she had almost collided into. "It would be better if you didn't look so stiff, Blake!" Kaname reminded the other girl in a soft voice as she led twirled her partner away from her body.

Blake stiffly nodded her head and also twirled Shizuma away from her and pulled her back into her arms. _What's next? Ermmm…__ glide across the floo__r, __circle one another, then… _Blake ran these thoughts in her head and let her body move in accordance with her thoughts. _Oh shit._She had accidentally led Shizuma again into another couple, but this time around Blake's foot clipped with the other student's foot.

Just as the raven-haired girl totally lost her footing and was well on her way down to the floor, hands were braced against her back and held her at an awkward angle above the floor. Shizuma smiled down at Blake as the taller girl stared up at her in astonishment. "Thought that I was too fragile to hold up the weight of someone of your build, didn't you?"

Blake discreetly looked at the audience and felt relief seep into her still stiff body. It seemed like the audience took the accident and Shizuma's save as part of the dance. "This is embarrassing," she muttered, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Put me back on my feet and let's just finish this," she hissed trying to control herself from turning any redder.

The Etoile smiled and hauled up the very embarrassed girl to her feet. For the final sequence of steps, Shizuma pressed herself closer to Blake's body and launched themselves into a series of complicated grapevines in each direction as the other couples did the same. Fortunately, despite still being stiff and greatly embarrassed Blake was able to get through the last sequence of steps. They ended in the middle of the dance floor with the rest of the couples arranged around them

Blake eased herself away from Shizuma and gave a stiff bow as guests applauded their performance. All she wanted to do now was to get out of that courtyard and just lock herself up in her room. She had never felt so embarrassed in her life let alone be forced to do something that she has never done. "We're done right? I'm out of here!" she told Shizuma as they walked off the dance floor.

A hand gripping her forearm stopped her from walking off into the darkness. "Did you forget what I told you if we got through this in one piece?" Shizuma gently asked Blake trying to soothe the older girl. When Blake stared at her, the Etoile only smiled, linked her hand into Blake's and led her down an unused dirt path through the trees.

Only a familiar chestnut haired girl with red bows caught sight of their retreating forms and she hid the knowing smile from her face. She had made up her mind that she was going to allow the two to slip away and be free from the event.

* * *

It was a good thing that they chose to hold the Autumn ball on the night of a full moon. Walking through the dense cover of trees was already proving to be of difficulty even with the moonlight aiding them. Blake obediently allowed herself to be pulled deeper through the trees by Shizuma still wondering where they were really going. 

It was only then that Blake felt so aware and conscious about the closeness that she and the Etoile had during the dance and even as they kept on their way. It was strange in a way that Shizuma had openly admitted to Blake that she was interested in her in a romantic way. To people outside of Astraea Hill, this kind of relationship garnered mixed opinions.

But to Blake, nothing felt as natural as this: Her hand tightly clasped around Shizuma's hand, the scanty rays of moonlight lighting their way, the gentle breeze that raced through their hair. Everything just seemed… right. Perhaps her history of having no inner peace played a part in this. Even when she had been saved by the Lionheart organization, Blake could not find any peace.

"Blake?"

"Hmmm… Yes Shizuma?" Blake shook her thoughts away and squinted in the darkness to see Shizuma. The raven haired girl looked past Shizuma and was surprised to see the lake behind the Etoile. "So this was where you wanted to take me," she told the other girl. "This is the surprise?"

Shizuma stepped towards the lake and beckoned Blake to go to her side. She pointed at the surface of the lake's almost black surface. She shushed the other girl by putting a finger to her own lips and motioned at the surface of the lake once more. Instead of watching the lake's surface, she gazed at the evolving look on her companion's face as she took in the sight.

Being so close to the lake's edge, Blake could not believe at the sight before her. The image of the full moon was reflected on the gentle rippling surface of Astraea Hill's lake. There were rare nights when the moon would be significantly larger than its usual size. This particular night was one of them. In the vast sky, the moon was of course diminutive in size, but being seen on the water's surface somewhat magnified it. Pale silver moonlight played across the surface of the lake, entrancing Blake.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

Blake nodded her head and stepped even closer to the water's edge. "More than beautiful," she said softly. A sudden heaviness filled her heart as she gazed at the moon's reflection. "It was almost like that night," she whispered, clutching at the front of her shirt. "I will never be rid of you, won't I?"

"Blake?" Shizuma had walked up behind her. The Etoile gently placed a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Are you alright?" The Etoile was genuinely worried about her companion. She was about to suggest that they should probably head back to the Strawberry dormitories when a clap of thunder sounded above them. In just a few minutes, the sky first opened to a light drizzle then to a heavy downpour.

"I never-" Blake started, tipping her head back and letting the rain hit her face. "I never liked the rain." It was weird that she had admitted that even when the rain drops seeping down her face and neck was somewhat soothing. "I've longed attached the rain with some dreadful memory."

This night was certainly an interesting one. Shizuma had not felt so perplexed on what do ever since Kaori had passed away. She never thought that she would ever be able to find someone with a heavier heart than she does. It seemed like she was just proven wrong just by looking at the sorry state that Blake was in. "We all have experiences that keep our hearts heavy with pain and suffering," she said, walking closer to Blake's back. Shizuma pressed her forehead gently into the back of Blake and linked her hand into Blake's own clammy hand. "Even I have such things that still weigh me down."

Blake glanced over her shoulder then look down to see Shizuma's hand clasped tightly around hers. They were both getting soaked and if she let herself dwell on her past any longer, the both of them were going to be confined to their beds. "It makes me feel better that at least there is someone who knows how I feel," she said gruffly to the Etoile, tightening her hold on the platinum haired girl's hand. "I apologize for getting caught up in my sadness like that," she said. "Come on, there's no use running back to the dormitories when we're already this soaked anyway."

Shizuma let out a laugh and allowed herself to be led away by Blake back into the dense cover of trees. She felt a pang inside her heart whenever she'd think about the small possibility that Blake would also be romantically interested in her. The thought of having a friend who had experienced something similar to her own experiences was enough for her… for now.

* * *

_**ah finally! sorry guys! i know i said at the end of the last chapter that i'd try to update in a week, but then things don't go as planned when you're already majoring in your course! well, here's the next chapter and i hope you enjoyed it! i know that i'm putting off revealing Blake's past, but i assure you that it'll be around 3-4 more chapters until i mention more details about her. **_

_**Nightwing of the Azure Shadow : thanks so much for being an ever so faithful reader! your reviews are what mostly pushes me on to keep on writing!**_

_**Auruin: well about your inquiry about why Blake seems so good at everything as you could see in this chapter she isn't that good in everything. hahaha! i'll give you a little hint though: Blake is somewhat special and it's related to her ever so obscure past.**_

_**moomoocachu: thanks for reading! it's amusing that you put a review after every chapter even when you could have read it all in one go and made a review at the end. nevertheless i give you my sincerest thanks for taking the time to check this story out.**_

_**flamefire: glad you liked it and i hope you enjoy everything else i come up with for this story despite how slow i am!  
**_


	7. Coercion

_Chapter 7: "Coercion__" _

Autumn was quickly turning into winter. The once bright orange and brown leaves on the numerous trees of Astraea hill were falling off; a sign that the first snows were coming. The students from each of the different schools had already adorned their winter uniforms and other winter apparel to shield off the cold.

The month of November brought about many implications for the students. First, there was the first set of exams that everyone had to pass in order to be able to go to the summer holidays that Astraea Hill's council arranged for its students. Second, there were the other school events that Blake promised herself she'd never get involved with ever again. After the last incident, she decided that she'd rather keep her dignity intact than embarrass herself like that again. Of course, there was also the approach of Christmas.

Students hurried down the leaf-littered paths to get to their schools; their breaths coming out as wisps of white as they walked. Blake was alone for that morning, walking comfortably in her favorite black trench coat that was given to her by Kairos when they were relocated to the much colder Switzerland. She supposed that she was not bothered at all by the cold after spending over a year in the Alps headquarters of the Lionheart organization. A familiar figure limping ahead of her caught her eye. "Hey Amane!" she shouted, striding forward to catch up with her friend.

Amane was clad in their usual white uniform but like Blake also sported a long beige coat to warm her from the impending cold. "Oh Morning Blake!" she greeted, slowing her pace while favoring her injured foot. "I see you're alone this morning," she said slyly as she looked at the other girl at the corners of her eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" Blake narrowed her eyes at her friend before letting out a smile. "So how's your foot?" After the Autumn Ball, news of Amane's condition spread quite quickly through the three campuses. The break was not as bad as the doctors thought, but it would take around two months to fully mend the broken bone and around two weeks of recuperation before Amane could start riding again.

"It's alright I guess. Fortunately it does not throb as badly as it used to during the first week," she informed the raven-haired girl with a sad smile. "It is just bad timing though," she admitted. She was to participate in a tournament later that month but due to her injury, she would not be able to do so. "Looks like I won't be able to bring the glory that Tomori-Kaichou wanted," she said rather bitterly.

Blake sighed and slung an arm around the slightly shorter girl's shoulders. "There are still next year's tournaments anyway," she tried consoling the depressed girl. "You should really take your mind off politics, it just makes you much more of a depressing character."

Amane started to chuckle and shrugged Blake's arm of her shoulders. "Yeah I suppose you're right." They reached the familiar fork in the road that would lead them to their schools. "Well this is where we part. I'll try to catch you during lunch break at the cafeteria." With that said, Amane walked down one road as she waved goodbye to Blake who was already taking the other path to Saint Miator.

Blake lost herself in her thoughts as she continued walking despite the cold and dreary day. Something was amiss even though she had been fairly enjoying herself with this new life. She could not put her finger on it and was racking through her mind to figure out what it was when her cellphone started to ring. She fumbled through her coat pocket, grabbed the phone and put it against her ear without bothering to look at who was calling. "Blake speaking," she said automatically.

_"I really have to admit that I miss hearing that voice of yours," _a familiar male voice said on the other line.

A grin slowly formed on Blake's face when she realized who was calling her. "Kairos, it's been what? Two months since I last heard from you!" Blake exclaimed as she listened to her guardian-friend give a deep laugh of amusement.

_"I know, Blake! Sorry about that, I've just been really busy. You know that I'd call you up as much as I can if I wasn't held down with so much work!"_

Blake let out a sigh. "Are you even here in Japan?" Before the organization's board of directors decided to let her enroll in Astraea Hill, they were informed that Kairos would stay in the country with her. He would be stationed in a particular prominent member's house as she stayed within the limits of Astraea Hill.

_"I am but not in your area. I was invited to go along in one of the research expeditions of Doctor Kurosawa," _he had named the organization member who was accommodating him. _"I'm on the coast of Okinawa right now, scouring the coastline for potential dive sites."_

"Dive sites?" Blake questioned, pinning the phone between her ear and shoulder as she arranged the sling of her bag to rest more snuggly on her other shoulder.

_"Yeah! Doctor Kurosawa is a marine biologist. She's been checking out the state of the coral reefs and hoping that she'd find some __new species of marine creatures."_

Blake could hear voices in the background and the familiar sound of waves crashing against the beach. "I take it that you've found a dive site?" she asked with a hint of envy in her voice. "You get to do all the fun stuff these days."

Kairos laughed heartily. _"I get to do all the fun stuff?" _he asked incredulously. _"I'd give anything to be in your place right now! Surrounded by pretty girls of all ages and – Hey!" _he exclaimed as Blake heard a rather loud thump sound in the background.

_"Now Kairos-kun! I thought I told you to help me unload the equipment to that tent over there and not talk about being surrounded by pretty girls!" _a female voice scolded as Kairos mumbled something incomprehensible.

_"Yes Doc! I'll do it! Listen Blake, __I have__ to go. Really wish I could talk to you longer but if I procrastinate more, the Doc will seriously punish me!"_

The raven-haired girl laughed at the folly of her friend. "It's alright Kairos," she assured him. "I'm glad that was able to talk to you even for such a short amount of time!" Blake glanced at her wristwatch and began to quicken her pace. "And about the pretty girls, you're just a sick flirt!"

_"I'm a guy, Blake! It's natural for us guys to want to have your position!" _he defended himself. _"Oh by the way, I heard that you had to dance with that pretty platinum- haired girl and that you botched it up pretty badly!"_ he said with a hint of teasing in his voice.

Blake rolled her eyes and groaned. "Don't remind me! I just got over it! Don't you have to go now?" she reminded Kairos over the phone. "You did say that the Doctor will punish you if you procrastinate any longer."

_"Yeah you're right! I'll call you up soon __all right__? Take care of yourself!" _

Blake said her goodbyes and hung up on Kairos just as she walked through the doors of Saint Miator. She quickly dropped her cellphone into her bag and took to the stairs two steps at a time. She was in a rather good mood now since she was able to talk to Kairos albeit for a few minutes only. She felt so good that she jumped the rest of the remaining steps to the landing. In the process of doing so, she had knocked down a student who had suddenly walked across her path. Blake fought to regain her balance and barely succeeded. If she had not caught her balance, she would have fell across the student and caused quite a scene.

"I'm so sorry!" The salmon haired girl cried out as a furious blush crept up her face.

Blake ran a hand through her hair and looked closely at the now sitting student. "Nagisa-chan, am I right?" she gently smiled at the younger girl and offered her a hand. "I should be the one apologizing. I was… not myself when I jumped the last remaining steps." She grasped the delicate hand in her palm and pulled the young girl up to her feet. "Are you alright?"

Nagisa continued to blush as she watched Blake stoop down and grab her book bag from the floor. "Yes I'm alright Blake-sempai!" She took the offered book bag from Blake's hands and bowed in apology to hide her still red face. The girl was still looking down at the floor when another girl collided with her. This time though it was not an accident. The blue haired girl crushed Nagisa against her body as she asked questions in a hurried and worried manner.

"Nagisa-chan! Are you alright? Ara! You're always so clumsy and empty-minded during the mornings!" The blue haired girl scolded her friend gently as Nagisa turned a deeper shade of red in her friend's arms.

"Tamao-chan!" she whined, struggling to get out of her roommate's arms. "You're making a scene! I'm alright! I promise that I am!" she exclaimed, before finally escaping her friend's grip. She looked at Blake again apologetically before dragging her friend away to their classroom. "Tamao-chan! Please don't do that again!" Her plead faded in the background as they walked farther away from Blake.

"I'm just protecting my Nagisa-chan!" The other girl said adamantly.

Blake could not hide the weird look that appeared on her face when she heard that last bit of their conversation. She shrugged it off and reminded herself that she was in an exclusive school for girls who were prone to having tendencies. _And you might end up having those tendencies too if you let yourself go,_ her subconscious self informed her as she went up one more flight of stairs. _I don't swing that way,_ she thought to herself stubbornly. _Oh? Are you so sure of yourself?_ An image of a certain platinum haired beauty flashed in her mind. "Bug off," she muttered as she slid the door open to her classroom.

"Did you mean me, Blake?"

Blake took a startled step back at the voice that just spoke to her. "Oh! Sorry Rokojou-san! That wasn't meant for you!" she told the Miator council president. "I was preoccupied with something and whatever I said was uncalled for."

Miyuki smiled in amusement. There was something pretty delicate going on in the mind of Blake. "It's alright, Blake. I am not at all offended," she assured the raven-haired girl. She looked wistfully at Blake's clothing and sighed. "I wish the school would be more liberal with our uniform in the cold season," she let out. "Our normal black uniform is hot during the summer and cold during the fall and winter."

Blake grinned and patted Miyuki's shoulder sympathetically before making her way to her desk and settling down in her chair. She had already plopped her bag against the side of her chair and set her pen and notebook on her desk before she realized that someone was missing. She looked to her side and saw an empty seat. "Miyuki," she called out to the girl at the front of the room. "Where is Shizuma?"

Miyuki hid a smile knowing inside that Blake would ask. "She isn't feeling well this morning so she'll be cutting this class," she informed as she greeted her classmates who had just entered the room. "She will be attending our other classes later on."

"Oh… I see."

Miyuki cracked a very small smile that Blake did not catch. She knew that Blake would feel slightly worried about her dearest friend. The few months that Shizuma and Blake had known each other had definitely started something between those two. It was just that no one was exactly sure what it was between them.

The door slid open to admit their teacher. "All right class! Settle down! We'll be discussing some of Shakespeare's works for the next few weeks!" She glanced at Miyuki who nodded her head. "I would suggest that you listen carefully because it will be useful in the near future." The teacher ignored the confused looks on her students' faces. "Now who can tell me some of Shakespeare's works?"

* * *

_That was weird. Why'd she say that our discussion would become useful in the future? _Blake was thinking back to what their teacher had said earlier about Shakespeare. The storm-gray eyed girl was wandering around outside the school during lunch period. _Oh well, as if it meant anything to me __anyway._ Blake pulled the collar of her trench coat to cover her neck better when she spotted a glass building appear at the corners of her eyes. "I've never seen this one before. I think I'll go take a look," she said to herself and started to whistle while making her way to the building. As she got nearer, she realized that the building was in fact a greenhouse.

The greenhouse doors were open when she stood before the building. Blake was trying to make up her mind if she was going to go in and take a peek or turn around and have lunch. The first idea prevailed eventually when the raven-haired girl's interest about the various plant life took over. She quietly walked through the doors and drank in the beautiful sight with wide eyes. Rows and rows of various plants and flowers surrounded her on the ground and from the ceiling. She had never seen such a colorful sight all crammed in a small space like this. Although there was no sun today, the greenhouse's interior was particularly warm. As Blake walked further into the greenhouse, she shrugged off her trench coat and folded it across her forearm.

A row of various colored rose plants caught her eye when she trekked up a short flight of stairs. Blake could not help but be drawn to the beautiful flowers and eventually crouched down to be on eye level with the array of colored roses. She was gently caressing the silky petals of a particular white rose when she felt a breath of hot air hit her ear as a soft voice whispered.

"I see that you found one of my hiding places," the familiar sultry voice sounded so close to her ear. The owner of the voice's scent wafted to Blake's nose as she stood up and faced the other girl. "One of your hiding places? I thought you were sick and in your rooms, Shizuma," Blake said, greeting the Etoile with a deep bow.

Shizuma covered her mouth with her hand to cover a laugh. "I am sick, Blake," she replied in a knowing voice. "Just not sick enough to be locked up in my room. Besides," she added. "I have a duty to care for these plants." The Etoile gestured at the plants behind Blake's back, flipping her long hair back with just a turn of her head.

Blake hummed in thought as she rubbed her chin in observance. "I did not know that the Etoile had other duties like this," she admitted sheepishly. "So if this is the Etoile's private greenhouse would that mean that I am not allowed in here?" Blake asked.

Shizuma shook her head. "It is my private greenhouse, but it is not restricted to the students. Although most students would not dare to go in here," she said with a devious smile on her face.

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

Shizuma's eyes twinkled. "Aside from being one of my hiding places, this greenhouse usually becomes a venue for me to accommodate one of my _favorite _pastimes." The Etoile winked at Blake before turning on her heel and walking to a table set. "I am sure that you know or at least heard of what I'm talking about," she said over her back as she set a teapot and some teacups on the table.

Blake's storm-gray eyes widened and her face suddenly felt hot when she realized what Shizuma was implying. _Of course this place would become an ideal venue for her to flirt and capture her prey!_ Blake thought as she struggled to control her blush. _It's secluded and as she said so herself, students would not dare to enter this place even though it wasn't restricted to them. _She warily watched as Shizuma prepared a pot of tea for the both of them. Just as she thought that she had herself under control, her subconscious self sounded in the recesses of her mind. _You pretty much have fallen into her trap, you know? I am also sure that if she pounces on you, you won't even hold back from whatever that will happen. _Blake shook her head furiously and gave off a rather audible mutter, "No way!"

"Pardon?" Shizuma turned around and asked the other girl who to her amusement seemed very nervous. "Did you just say something, Blake?" She motioned for Blake to come seat herself at the table with her.

Blake shook her head once again and walked over to Shizuma. "It was nothing," she said trying to make herself sound normal. She eyed the steaming cups of tea before her. "What is this?" The scent of the tea was so inviting that Blake allowed herself to sit down and grasp the cup of tea.

The Etoile titled her head to the side with a bemused look on her face. "It's tea from my personal collection. This particular one is a raspberry, mint and ginseng mix," she explained as she watched Blake bring the cup to her nose and take in a deep breath. "It's one of my favorites especially during the winter." She motioned for Blake to go ahead and drink as she too grasped her cup and brought it to her lips.

Blake allowed the hot liquid seep down her throat. "It's good," she sighed out her satisfaction. "Where did you get this tea, Shizuma?" Blake asked, knowing that such a tea could have only been attained from a foreign country.

"It was shipped from India," she replied, refilling both of their cups. "The mixes that they come up with there are just so exquisite that I could not resist." They both raised their cups to teach other and downed the tea. "So what brought you here? I would think that you would be in the cafeteria at this time."

Blake gently placed the cup on the table and lightly rested her elbows on the edge of the table. "I wasn't that hungry so I decided to take a walk," she explained. "I was just about to head back to the dormitory to pick up something when I spotted this greenhouse. I got curious so I went to check it out."

"Did you just come here to check out the flowers or did you come here for something else?"

Blake sputtered on her tea when she heard the question. "What are you talking about? Of course I came here because I was curious about what was inside!" she exclaimed, trying to keep herself cool and collected.

Shizuma raised her delicate eyebrows as she leaned forward on her elbows to gaze at Blake's face. "Oh really? Perhaps you were curious about what else was inside this greenhouse," the Etoile teased as she used her finger to lightly trace patterns on Blake's clenched hand on the table. "I would be pleased though if my expectation of your motive for coming here is true."

Usually Blake had superior control over her emotions, but her companion's ceaseless and not to mention back-handed flirting was doing her in. She was purposely looking down into her cup of tea so that she could hide the fiery redness on her face. "You are teasing me," she said, looking up and scowling at Shizuma.

The platinum-haired girl merely smiled at Blake. "Looks like I need to refine my skills some more," she told Blake. "Ordinary girls would already be helpless to my attacks at this point," Shizuma pointed out and silently laughed at the shocked expression on Blake's face. "You, on the other hand, are making it more difficult." She lazily traced a last pattern on Blake's hand. "I do love a challenge though."

Blake was speechless. She had no idea what to say to the other girl and how to react. Sure she knew that Shizuma was romantically interested in her, but she thought that she made it clear during her first attempt that she was not sure about it. She practically remembered telling her that she would rather be friends. Shizuma's further attempts of flirting with her was a sure sign that Shizuma was not going to give up easily on her. Blake quickly pushed herself away from the table and cleared her throat. "Oh look at the time," she pointed at her wristwatch for emphasis. "We have class in fifteen minutes!" She knew that it was obvious that she was trying to get away. "Will you be coming to our next class?" she asked.

Shizuma nodded her head and cleared away the table. "Yes," she replied. "I feel well enough to attend the rest of our classes." She went to another table and grabbed her book bag before turning to face Blake. "Will it be alright if I walked with you?"

Blake blinked at the query. Just a few minutes ago, Shizuma was going all-out with her flirting, but now she sounded like her usual formal self. _It is as if she was able to easily change her personality in a b__link of an eye, _Blake though as she agreed to the suggestion and escorted Shizuma out of the greenhouse. As they walked down the road, Blake noticed that the wind was blowing even harder and that Shizuma had no coat. _She's still sick even if she said that she was feeling better. Why doesn't she have a coat with her in this kind of weather? _Blake let go of her uncertainties about the Etoile and shrugged off her black trench coat. "Here," she offered her coat to Shizuma. "I'm worried that your condition will worsen in this cold."

Shizuma stared at the offered coat for a few moments before she gingerly took hold of the coat. "You are a noble person, Blake," she said with a smile on her face. She allowed Blake to take her book bag as she put on the rather large coat around her graceful frame. "Will you be alright in this kind of weather without a coat?"

Blake laughed and led the other girl towards the Saint Miator building. "I am used to this kind of weather!" The raven-haired girl was still dressed warmly in cotton black pants, a long sleeved white shirt and sleeveless black shirt on top of it. "Besides," she added while looking up at the cloudy sky. "The cold before the snows come in isn't as bad."

Shizuma peered at the other girl as she kept her gaze to the sky. "You are truly an amusing person, Blake." They both walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence.

* * *

"You disappeared during lunch time."

Blake watched Amane dig into her food during supper at the Strawberry dormitory's cafeteria. The rest of the day had gone by quite quickly when she and Shizuma had walked into their classroom. Everyone had stared at them again and Miyuki had a knowing smile on her face when she spotted that Shizuma was wearing the coat of Blake. That fact evolved from small chatter to campus gossip when Blake allowed Shizuma to keep on her coat for the rest of the day since the Etoile did not have any coat with her.

"Sorry about the disappearing act," she apologized to Amane. "I lost my appetite all of a sudden and decided to walk around instead," Blake explained with a straight face. She had a feeling that Amane knew what had happened to her during that lunch break.

As expected, Amane gave her a goofy smile. "You mean you went for a walk to look for Shizuma because you were worried about her not being in class?" she teased and ducked when a roll of bread was thrown at her. "I was just kidding alright!" she defended herself as she laughed at the annoyed look on Blake's face. "Rumors do spread rather quickly here."

Blake mumbled something unintelligible and leaned back against her chair. She avoided the stares and whispers of the students around her by putting a nonchalant look on her face. "Why is everyone vying for me and her to get together? I'm not even sure myself if I swing that way!" she confided in Amane who listened to her solemnly. "Do you have someone that you like, Amane?"

The blue-haired girl smiled and nodded her head. "Yes there is someone I like and I'm doing all I can to protect her from this school's nasty politics," she admitted to Blake. "I want our love to be unrestricted." Her eyes glanced to one side of the room where an ebony brown-girl and a girl with brown hair several shades lighter and nearing blonde than her friend's beside her.

"Oh? Which one is she?" Blake asked as she watched both girls talk to each other.

"The shorter one with long wavy light beige hair," she sighed. "I was smitten with her when I first saw her perform in the Spica choir upon my return from a tournament," she recounted as he eyes became glazed with passion. "She is sweet, innocent and gentle! She makes me forget about all politics that I'm forcibly involved in when I'm with her!"

Blake could not help but laugh at her friend's romantic ranting. "You are such a romantic, Amane!" she exclaimed. "You don't even look or fit the description of a romantic!" This time it was Blake who ducked when a roll of break was chucked at her. Both girls laughed at each other and continued to talk about other topics. _It just goes to show that love can really change a person… how sappy!_

"Did you notice that the student councils of each school are not present?" Amane pointed out the lack of their leaders after their trays were cleared off the table. Many of the students in the cafeteria also noticed the same thing.

Blake shrugged her shoulders. "So what is so wrong about that?" she asked. "They are probably at some important meeting for them to not be here." Blake scowled at Amane knowing that the girl was teasing her again due to the absence of a certain platinum-haired girl. She was just about to come up with something to tease back when the doors of the cafeteria burst open and admitted the missing student councils.

At the head of the train of leaders was Miyuki who had a serious look on her face as the student council members of each school dispersed to their seats. Everyone fell silent as Miyuki raised her hand in the air. "We, the student councils of each school apologize for our tardiness for this meal," she announced. "As most of you have probably concluded, we were at an important meeting regarding the next school event."

Blake's face visibly blanched upon hearing those dreaded words. She tried to sink lower into her seat so that she would not be seen much to the amusement of her tablemate. "I thought there wasn't going to be another school event until next month!" she hissed at Amane who covered her smile with a hand.

"You are a new student and you still do not know the schedule of events for our schools," she pointed out wickedly. Her smile soon turned into a worried one. "Although I must admit this one worries me because I am sure that I will be somewhat involved with me."

Miyuki cleared her throat to catch the attention of the students once more. "We have decided to move the annual stage play of the three schools to the end of this month."

Every person within the vicinity of the cafeteria gasped and excitedly started to chatter about the sudden announcement. Students talked about what play was going to be done for this year, which students will be picked to play the leading and supporting roles and what committees they could sign up for. Two people in the cafeteria did not seem very happy though: Amane and Blake.

"In the course of our meeting we already decided the play that we will present and have also picked students to play the various role of this play." Miyuki seriously looked around the cafeteria before taking a breath. "We will be doing Shakespeare's Twelfth Night."

It took a few minutes for the student council members to quiet down the students. The play that was picked this time was definitely different from the other plays that were done in the past. The most obvious differences was that "Twelfth Night" was a comedy and that Astraea Hill had never done a production of any of Shakespeare's works.

Miyuki clapped her hands together and addressed the students once more, "In light of this occasion, we would also like to announce the students who we feel will do well as the actresses in this production," Miyuki took the offered list from her aide's hand and looked at it. "As tradition dictates, for the part of the Viola, Shizuma will play this role."

Students cooed and squealed in glee upon hearing that the main role was given to the Etoile once more for this year. In the previous productions, Shizuma had played the lead roles ever since she became the Etoile. Now the students continued to discuss excitedly on who will get the other roles.

Miyuki pointed at her list as she continued to read the cast of the production. "Sebastian, Viola's twin brother will be played by Spica's Amane." Miyuki was interrupted as the students became noisy once more then eventually quieted down. The Miator president could easily see that Amane was not happy compared to the joy that Shion showed from her seat. "Lady Olivia will be played by Chikaru while Sir Toby will be played by Kaname and Maria will be played by Momomi. Malvolio will be played by Shion Tomori and Sir Andrew will be played by Yaya Nanto. As for the remaining minor characters," Miyuki added while still looking at her list. "The captain will be played by Remon while Antonio will be played by me."

The students continued to whisper and murmur to each other as they took in the news of who the characters of the production will be. It was expected that the students that we handpicked by the student councils would be those of high standing in any of the Astraea Hill campuses. Most of the students were either student council members or were stars of their schools like Amane who was a horseback riding club and Yaya who was one of the best singers of the Spica choir.

"Miyuki," Shizuma's voice pierced through the noise. "Who will play Duke Orsino?" The question brought about more questions from the students. "Did you not reach a decision yet on who will play that role?" Throughout the whole duration of the meeting, the student council could not reach a decision on who would play the role of Duke Orsino. Even after the meeting was done and they were all headed to the cafeteria, the three student council presidents still could not make a decision.

Miyuki looked at Shion and Chikaru on their respective seats in the cafeteria. "We had difficulty on deciding who would be playing this role, but we have already reached a decision." The cafeteria became eerily quiet as they anxiously waited for Miyuki to look up from her list. It seemed like forever until Miyuki finally dropped the list on the table and looked at all the students. "Duke Orsino will be played by Blake Saberhart."

The silence was demolished by the sudden shouts and screams from the numerous students in the cafeteria. The gleeful and giddy faces and voices of the students were sharply contrasting to how Blake looked at that moment. Her head was supported by trembling hands as her face had visibly become paler. Amane had already gone to the side of her friend and was trying to console her by patting her back.

"I refuse!" Blake's voice rung out amidst the shouts and screams. "I absolutely refuse!" she banged her fists on the table as if in anger but there was a look of mixed nervousness and fear on her face. "I never volunteered for this," she informed all the students.

"Unfortunately Blake," Miyuki said in a not so sorry voice. "Nothing can be done when everything is finalized. All students who are picked to perform in the production are to perform and cannot back out," she gazed at Blake seriously who was about to interrupt. "You have no choice. I assure you though that you will be thoroughly trained so that you will be able to handle this role," she continued then peered at the rest of the students. "That is all."

The students bid their farewells to each other and made their way out of the cafeteria to their respective rooms while still talking about the recent event. They still could not believe how well the student councils had picked the actresses for the play and how Blake had adamantly tried to refuse the part. A few students stayed back in the cafeteria to try and console the thoroughly depressed Blake. One of them was Amane who still stuck to her job of patting the raven-haired girl on her back. The others included Miyuki, Chikaru and Shizuma.

"Blake please!" Chikaru pleaded with the girl. "Just accept it! It would be less trouble for everyone!" She too went to Blake's side and also placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"No."

Miyuki sighed and tried to reason out with the girl. "Blake you must believe us when I said that you are the best person to play this part," she explained. "There is no other person in this school who could possibly play Duke Orsino besides you."

Blake let her fall on the surface of the table and covered her head with her arms. "Nmmphhh!" she muttered with her face against the table. The raven-haired girl was standing strong in her decision to back out. She slightly raised her head from the table so that her eyes will be seen. "I won't get involved with something that I can't do! I'd rather keep my dignity intact!" she told the remaining girls.

"For the sake of our school, Blake," Shizuma spoke up. "Please say yes." Shizuma sat across from Blake and reached out to grab hold of her hands. She looked at Blake pleadingly and gently caressed the other girl's hands. "Will you do it for me?" Her eyes were narrowed slightly, but it was clear to the eyes of both Miyuki and Chikaru that the Etoile was making use of her charm to get the reluctant raven-haired girl to agree.

Blake sighed as her hair fell over her eyes. "I'll do it, but only because you have begged me," she finally agreed. "Now will any of you tell me who this Duke Orsino is? I suspect that he is a minor character." She raised her eyebrows at the strange looks on the other students' faces. "What?" she demanded hotly. "I was just asking who he is!"

Shizuma got out of her chair and waved to Miyuki, Chikaru and Amane. "Well I must be off. I am weary from this whole day's activities," she informed all of them. She turned to Blake and bid her good night. "I'll be expecting you at the greenhouse for practice starting tomorrow alright Blake?" Without waiting for the other girl's reply, Shizuma swept out of the room.

"Practice with her in the greenhouse?" Blake queried the remaining girls. "I was thinking that all the characters would rehearse their lines together," she pointed out with a confused look on her face. "Is there a need for me to exclusively practice with Shizuma?"

Miyuki cleared her throat and tried to keep a straight and serious face. "Of course all the students who have major roles in the production rehearse all together, but some students especially those who have characters who are interact with each other a lot in the script usually rehearse their lines together in private." She glanced at Chikaru to allow her to explain the rest.

"What do you mean? I thought this Duke Orsino was just a minor role!" Blake was starting to sound panicked. "I demand to know who this character really is!"

Chikaru took hold of each of Blake's hands to calm her down before giving her the dreaded answer. "Blake, the reason why Shizuma is expecting you to practice with her in her private greenhouse is because Shizuma's character's love interest is your character who eventually falls in love with her."

As the Chikaru, Amane and Miyuki waited for Blake's reaction they immediately noticed that the blood on Blake's face seemed to drain away. She appeared limp even when she was supporting herself by setting her forearms on the table and her eyes seemed glazed. The three students broke out in shouts of fear and worry when they saw Blake collapse against the table, her head thumping rather loudly against the hard surface in a dead faint.

"Blake! You're over reacting!" Amane shouted as she and her companions struggled to revive the raven-haired girl.

* * *

**_wow! i must say i'm impressed with myself! hahaha! just 2 days have gone by and i was able to finish and upload another chapter! if i keep at it tonight and tomorrow, i might be able to upload another one tomorrow night or the following day. _**

**_Auruin: as of the moment, i'm still trying to develop the past of Blake. i have a lot of ideas but i'm still figuring out which ones would be the best. i'm glad by the way that you have grown to like this written work. until next time!_**

**_moomoocachu: thanks for reviewing once again! i really appreciate it!_**

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**_In the next chapter: Blake struggles to meet the expectations of the student council to perform as Duke Orsino and a little bit of her past is revealed when the Etoile pries.  
_**


	8. Scripts and the Azure Sea

_C__hapter 8: __"Scripts and the Azure Sea" _

"If you're going to keep looking at me in that way then I suggest you bug off before I do something that you will not like."

Amane grinned at the raven-haired girl. Two days have gone by since the student council announced which play the three schools were going to produce and which students were going to be part of it. The prince of Spica as she was called could not help but be amused at Blake because of her previous actions. "You're in a sour mood!"

Blake scowled obviously still irate about what had just happened. "Who wouldn't be when you've been forced to play this stupid game!" she almost shouted. She and Amane were in the Spica stables grooming the horses. Despite Blake's anger, her hand was gentle as she stroked Darkmoon with a brush. The black stallion whickered softly at the angry tone of Blake's voice. The raven-haired girl's face softened as she murmured apologies to the horse. "This is so stupid," she said to Amane, a hint of disdain still in her voice.

Amane laughed as she brushed the flank of Star Bride. "Oh Blake," she exclaimed from the opposite side of her horse. "Acting like a sullen child won't make anything better," she informed in a serious tone. She could not hold the serious front for too long upon remembering what happened to Blake that night. "Although I must say that I was really amused when you fainted just like that!"

"Shut up," Blake muttered as she finished grooming Darkmoon. "It was so embarrassing!" she complained to Amane as she leaned against Darkmoon's stall door watching Amane continue to work on Star Bride. "That never happened to me in the past!"

Amane looked at her friend with sympathy in her eyes. "I know, Blake," she said as she ran a comb through the many-bristled brush to get rid of the horsehair. "At least you fainted when it was only me, Rokojou-san and Chikaru-san!" A grin appeared on her face. "It would have been worse if you fainted in front of a packed cafeteria," she pointed out. "Although it might be twice as bad if you fainted in the presence of Etoile-sama."

Blake's forehead thumped against the top of Darkmoon's stall door. "When will you stop teasing me about her?" she grumbled. "I already told you that I am not sure if I even swing that way when it comes to relationships." The girl straightened and gave Darkmoon a last pat on the neck before jumping over the stall door. "Come on let's go get something to eat!"

"Sure! Let me just put these away."

* * *

Shizuma listened carefully as Miyuki recounted the events from two nights ago. Despite the blank look on her face, Shizuma was laughing silently. She had not expected Blake to react so violently when Miyuki and Chikaru had explained her role in the play. As she listened to Miyuki further, the more she regretted that she had left earlier and missed Blake passing out. "So she has still agreed to do it?"

Miyuki nodded her head as she set another sheaf of papers for Shizuma. "That needs all your signatures," she told the Etoile. "Well when we finally revived her care of Chikaru who wrung a sodden towel over Blake's face," the president attempted to cover a smile as she explained. "Blake was too in shock to back out." Miyuki glanced at her friend who just nodded her head as she scanned through the documents. "I doubt that she would back out though especially since you were the one who convinced her to accept the part."

"She may prove to be troublesome come rehearsals," Shizuma hypothesized. "When is the first rehearsal?" Shizuma resigned herself to just putting her signature on all the documents without reading through them anymore. She just hoped that Miyuki was not going to notice.

"I see what you're doing Shizuma! You can't just sign a document without reading through it!" Miyuki scolded and watched as Shizuma scowled at her and obediently went back to reading the documents once more before signing them. "The script was just completed today so I believe the first one will be two days from now."

Shizuma looked up from her papers. "That would be a Monday right?" she clarified, putting her signature on the last document with a flourish. "I do not understand why you force me to work when it is the weekend," she told Miyuki in a flat voice. "We're supposed to be resting or perhaps studying for tests."

"You forget that you're the Etoile, Shizuma. Besides, you've been putting off your work for the past few weeks!" Miyuki stepped beside her friend and gathered the finished documents into her hands. "Well at least for now there isn't any more work to do."

Shizuma let out a quiet sigh as she pulled herself off her chair. "Then I will take my leave then, Miyuki," she nodded to her dearest friend then walked towards the door. With her hand on the doorknob and without turning around, Shizuma asked, "Would you happen to know the whereabouts of Blake?"

Once again, Miyuki was surprised at the small changes happening to her friend. It has been two years since she last become so attached to one girl and she still could not believe it that the changes were all due to the arrival of a certain storm gray-eyed student. "I am sorry Shizuma," she apologized, not knowing where the girl was. "If today was a regular class day then I would be able to pinpoint to you where Blake is exactly," she explained. "Since it's the weekend, she might just be anywhere on this campus."

"I see… It's alright Miyuki."

"Are you planning to look for her, Shizuma?" Miyuki asked as someone knocked on the door. "Excuse me," she said to the Etoile who stepped aside to allow the president to open the door. "Yes?" she asked before breaking into a warm smile when she realized who it was. "Ah Tamao-chan!" she greeted the girl who held a sheaf of papers in her hands. "Is that the script?"

The blue-haired girl bowed first to the Etoile before replying, "Yes Rokojou-san! As you asked, I had fifteen copies made for the cast." She pointed to her side to show the two high-ranking girls a stack of similar documents stacked one on top of the other.

Miyuki bowed in thanks to the younger but talented writer. "My thanks Tamao-chan," she said sincerely. "Rehearsals will start on Monday afternoon after all the classes." Miyuki took a few more minutes to explain other important things to Tamao before dismissing her. When the girl disappeared down the hallway, Miyuki took two copies of the script and handed them over to Shizuma. "Here," she set both scripts into the waiting hands of Shizuma. "I have a feeling that you will be meeting her today."

Shizuma simply nodded her head then stalked out of the room with the scripts in her hands. Miyuki was right about giving her the copy of Blake. She was definitely going to find the girl and perhaps do a little more teasing.

* * *

"I want some Japanese food."

Amane's eyes crinkled in laughter as she observed the contempt in Blake's face. "Here I thought the English and American cuisine that is served in our cafeterias would make you feel more at home," Amane conveyed as she mixed her soup.

Blake first directed a scowl at her plate of potatoes, fish and broccoli then at her tablemate. "These were the types of food that I ate before I went here," she explained gravely. She looked at Amane in the eye and continued, "But it does not necessarily mean that I do not grow tired of eating the same food every single day!" She stretched up in her seat and tried to check if there was other food at the front. "We're in Japan for crying out loud so why isn't there any local cuisine in this school?"

The blue-haired equestrian continued to chuckle quietly as she listened to Blake rant more about the lack of Japanese food. "We do have Japanese food once in a while," she explained patiently. "But that in itself is rare since the school firmly believes that they should get the students used to eating foreign food," she continued, spooning some soup into her mouth. "We've had a fair number of students who go abroad to continue their education or make their future outside of Japan."

"But still," Blake started but did not continue as her cellphone incessantly started to ring in her pants pocket. "Sorry," she mumbled to Amane, setting the cellphone against her ear. "Blake speaking."

_"__I t__old you I__'d call you up again! Did you miss me?" _

"Did anyone ever tell you that you're an arrogant guy, Kairos?" Blake retorted when she recognized the voice of her guardian. "Is there something wrong? You wouldn't be calling me up like this after just talking to me just a few days ago."

Kairos laughed heartily. _"It's been a while since we last saw each other," _he started. _"The Doc has been wanting to meet you and the organization feels that you should come over and visit since it was her after all who suggested t__hat you enroll in Astraea Hill."_

Blake shook her head when Amane silently questioned the strange look that came over her face. "It was the doctor who recommended me to enroll here?" Blake asked and mouthed a "not now" to Amane who was giving her another questioning look.

_"Yes and she would like to meet you,"_ Kairos clarified with utmost patience. _"Look, I'll have some__ sort__of __transportation ready for you tomorrow morning. I already talked to the board and they have allowed you to leave the premises of Astraea Hill to spend the day with us." _Kairos cleared his throat before continuing. _"There is one condition though. The board requires that you bring one of the students with you. It makes sense though," _he quickly assured Blake before she could react. _"The student could act as your guide when you make your way over here." _

"And she is supposed to keep an eye on me if my hunch is correct."

Kairos' snigger on the other line was just loud enough for Amane to hear. _"Well that's the other purpose. I'll leave you to pick which girl to bring with you,"_ he conveyed. _"Could you bring someone__ who is__ pretty? I haven't seen a pretty girl for months now! Ow!" _Kairos cried out as another voice rung out in the background.

_"Y__ou let Blake decide on her own! You're acting like a deprived boy when you'__ve been surrounded by__ knowledgeable women__ for most of your stay with us!"_

Blake listened to Kairos apologize and sigh in defeat. _"Yes Doc," _he mumbled out. _"Well you heard the Doc. You have the freedom of choosing __whomever__ you wish to bring with you. Your ride will be at the entrance of your dorms at exactly nine in the morning.__ Well, I better get going.__ I'll see you tomorrow__ though__!"_

"I'll see you, Kairos." Blake said her goodbyes, pocketed her cellphone and explained her conversation to Amane. "Would you like to come with me tomorrow?" she hoped that Amane would agree. Blake felt the most comfortable with Amane compared to any other student in the campus.

The equestrian gave a sad smile and shook her head. "I truly wish that I could take you up on that offer, Blake," she started. "But I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow." She pointed at her injured foot. "They'll be checking the condition of my injury."

The raven-haired girl's forehead furrowed as she frowned. "Who can I take then?"

"I have a suggestion," another voice sounded from behind Blake. The dark blue-haired girl nodded to Amane before focusing all her attention on Blake. "The board has just informed me about your excursion tomorrow."

Blake twisted around her chair to get a better view of the Miator student council president. "So you know about how I am required to bring a chaperone to the Kurosawa residence?" Blake fingered her jaw line as she waited for Miyuki's suggestion.

"Before I give you my suggestion, here are the details for your trip tomorrow." Miyuki handed Blake a small strip of paper and waited as the storm gray-eyed girl quickly read through the brief text. "As for you transportation, we still aren't sure what kind of transportation you will be taking," she continued as Blake handed the strip of paper to Amane. "We feel though it will most probably be a car."

Amane hummed as she looked up from the paper. "This Doctor Kurosawa's place is located near the coast, which is an hour's train ride from here," she explained when Miyuki and Blake stared at her. "I've been there several times." In fact, her last visit to that beach was when she took Hikari out for a date. "The time it takes to get there might vary depending on your transportation."

Blake switched her attention to Miyuki once more. "So who do you suggest that I bring with me? It seemed like a really good idea that I bring Amane with me since she's familiar with that area, but she said she has a doctor's appointment tomorrow."

Miyuki shook her head and motioned for Blake to get to her feet. "Let us go find her now." Miyuki took over saying both their goodbyes to Amane before leading them out of the cafeteria. "The truth is I am not at all sure if she will agree but if you ask her there's a high possibility that she will agree."

"Who is this?" Blake asked with curiosity set deep in her eyes. "I find it strange that you are trying to hide it from me."

Miyuki chuckled as they wove through an oncoming rush of students. "I am not hiding it from you. I'll admit though that this outside trip will be good for her especially since she's been cooped up in this campus with nothing but work to do," she explained. "She needs a break and this will definitely do her some good just as it will also do good for you."

The two girls made their way out of the Miator building and into the wide expanse of trees. Blake struggled to keep her conversation with Miyuki, but she eventually ran out of things to say. She kept pestering the other girl about the person she was suggesting. Blake was about to ask again when Miyuki put a finger to her lips and pointed to a small clearing.

"I should have known."

Miyuki smiled at the raven-haired girl and watched the girl scrub her face with her hand. She knew that she had just put Blake in a compromising situation. The girl was still obviously feeling bad about being tricked into participating in the play. On the other hand, Miyuki had gambled by bringing Blake to see Shizuma when she is in one of her most somber moments. She was hoping that Blake would give in to bringing Shizuma with her.

Blake let out a big breath and let her eyes rest on the platinum-haired girl leaning against the tree. She felt somewhat betrayed that the Etoile had trifled and manipulated her to accept the role in the play, but seeing her now gave her a very new feeling. Up until now, she always saw Shizuma as a calm, collected and authoritative figure that never cracks. The Shizuma that she saw now was very different. As she leaned against the sturdy trunk of the tree, it was plain to the eye that the girl was displaying signs of stress and sadness. Her arms were languidly crossed over her chest and her eyes drooped as she gloomily stared at the ground. To Blake, it was not exactly a very appealing site especially for the Etoile.

"Well?" Miyuki pressed Blake forward with a firm hand. "I'll leave you to explain the situation to her," she smiled at Blake who gave her a strange look. "I have work to do and let's just say that I know that my friend over there would be happier if she had you to herself." Without waiting for Blake to reply she turned on her heel and walked back towards the school, leaving Blake to deal with the Etoile on her own.

Blake stayed out of sight for a few minutes before gathering enough nerve to reveal herself. She walked into the clearing and stopped a few feet away from Shizuma. When the Etoile looked up to acknowledge her presence, Blake was momentarily taken aback by her piercing amber eyes. "I find it strange that you're all alone in this place with a stack of papers on the ground beside you," Blake tried while running a hand through her hair.

Shizuma glanced down at her side and let out a sigh. "Thankfully they're not anything related to student council work," she told the girl. She looked at Blake with weary eyes. "What are you doing here Blake? I highly doubt that you went here for nothing." Shizuma beckoned Blake to come closer as she reached down, grabbed a sheaf of papers and offered them to the other girl. "That's your copy of the script," she explained as she transferred the copy into Blake's hands. "I was serious when I said that we should practice together," she told the girl with an equally serious look on her face. "I can help you practice your lines and help you develop the necessary theater skills."

Blake placed her palm against her forehead and let out a sigh. "I know it's for the best," she finally admitted. "I promise you that I will rehearse my lines with you. I do have a favor to ask though," she added quickly. She then began to explain her trip tomorrow outside of Astraea Hill, the board's decision that they would allow her only if she brought another student along with her and that it was Miyuki's idea that she ask Shizuma. "Will you accompany me?" Blake could not control her voice from sounding like begging.

"Do you think I'll say no?" Shizuma smiled at Blake. "I have always wanted to spend time with you and get to know you more intimately." She raised a slender eyebrow at the other girl. "Do you realize that you're turning red, Blake?" she asked in an amused voice, watching as Blake furiously swiped at her cheeks in an attempt to stop the redness.

"I have no idea why I become like this whenever you tease me!" Blake muttered, turning her back on Shizuma to save face. "I have never been so affected - " Blake choked when she felt arms twine around her waist. "Shizuma?"

Shizuma rested her forehead on Blake's back and made her arms relax against the taut waist of Blake when she felt the other girl stiffen. "What don't you understand, Blake?" she said softly. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe," she continued. "Just maybe you might be feeling something else whenever you're with me?"

"I-I… Shizuma," Blake said hoarsely as she struggled to both say something and jump away from her embrace. She could do nothing though. It was as if she was paralyzed in the Etoile's arms.

"I'll say it again, Blake," Shizuma whispered, reaching out with one hand to twine her fingers into Blake's own hand. "I haven't tried this hard to get another girl's affection in over two years. All the flirting and teasing that I've done to you, doesn't that give off the obvious?" Shizuma pressed her body into Blake's back. "I feel something else when I'm with you and I wish that you'd open yourself up to me."

Blake felt her throat tighten painfully at the raw emotion that she was feeling within herself and from Shizuma. She wanted to say something, say anything to ease the tension between the both of them. They stayed locked together in that embrace for a long while before Blake finally calmed herself down enough to speak. "I still don't know, Shizuma," she tightened her hand around Shizuma's alabaster hand. "I like you but I am not sure what kind of like it is!" She felt the movement of Shizuma's nod on her back.

"I won't hurry you, Blake," she promised, hugging Blake firmly before pulling herself away. "But please think about it," she asked. "Having you at my side would make me happy." She took hold of Blake's hand and set it against her cheek. "I have to go back to the greenhouse today. Would you like to come?"

Blake gazed at their interlocked hands before looking into Shizuma's amber eyes. "I'll come along. Maybe we could start rehearsing our lines." She pulled on Shizuma's hand as they walked under the cover of the trees.

"That's a good idea. We need to get you started right away if we want you to be at your best come show time." The tension between them soon faded as their figures disappeared through the trees, their hands still intertwined.

* * *

_Sunday Morning…_

"Can we not bring these damned scripts to Doctor Kurosawa's place?"

Miyuki looked amused as she trailed behind Shizuma and Blake as they walked down the stairs of the Strawberry dormitories. She had woken up earlier than usual to make sure that the two girls got up on time. Blake was simpler to wake up since she had claimed after admitting the president into her room that she was a light sleeper.

"You know that we cannot do that, Blake," Shizuma told the girl at her side. For that day, they were both dressed in civilian attire. Shizuma still looked elegant in fit jeans and a long-sleeved dark brown shirt. Blake deviated from her usual black and whites for that day. She wore faded jeans, a white collared shirt and a dark blue sweater over it. "You need practice and you know how badly you did yesterday."

"I told you! I am not versed in the performing arts!" Blake voice was getting louder and louder as the argument went on. She was just about to bring up another argument so that Shizuma would leave the scripts when Miyuki cleared her throat.

Miyuki raised her eyebrows at the two girls. "If you keep arguing like that, you're going to end up waking up the rest of the girls," she told them with a hint of amusement. "Now come on! Your transportation should be outside by now." She stepped up to the doors, unlocked them and pushed them open. As a cold blast of wind hit the girls, Blake's jaw dropped in surprise at the sight of their transportation for that trip.

"I thought you said that it was going to be a car," Shizuma finally said after closing Blake's gaping mouth. "I thought it was going to be a car driven by a chauffeur not this… this thing!" Even Miyuki seemed surprised and worried as she stared at the machine.

"Kairos," Blake breathed out as she circled the machine. "You sure do know how to make me feel happy! Where the hell did you get a Harley in Japan?" Blake admired the shiny black surface of the motorcycle. It was a 2006 VRSCD Night Rod Harley Davidson with a 120-horsepower engine, sleek silver exhaust valves, custom made headlights and a custom made seat that would accommodate two riders. To Blake, it felt like she was thirteen years old again receiving her first gift from her first friend. Two black helmets were sitting atop the seat of the motorcycle.

Miyuki frowned at the sleek machine. "I don't think it's such a good idea to be using that as your mode of transportation," she gave her opinion. "Majority of the fatalities that occur in motor related accidents are usually motorcycle riders."

Blake walked around to the front of the Harley and grabbed the helmets. "It's true that majority of the accidents that occur on roads are motorcycle accidents," Blake pointed out, motioning for Shizuma to put on her coat. "I assure you though that I am quality motorcyclist. Besides, it's only an hour's ride from here and there are hardly any people on the road on a Sunday."

Shizuma stepped forward and took one of the helmets on the seat. "I don't see any reason why we should worry," Shizuma expressed. "Kairos-san would not have sent a motorcycle if he did not trust Blake's ability to drive it." Truthfully, she felt rather uneasy riding such a thing though she chose not show it. "We should get going. You told Kairos that we'd arrive around ten to ten-thirty right?" She tightened her hair tie and proceeded to place the helmet over her head.

Blake shrugged on her black trench coat and mounted the Harley. "We'll be back by tonight, Miyuki," she pushed the helmet down her face and snuggly strapped it around her chin. Blake balanced the motorcycle as she waited for Shizuma to move in behind her before igniting the engines to a deafening roar. "She purrs like a kitten."

Miyuki rolled her eyes as she stepped back to allow Blake to maneuver the bike towards the right direction. "Don't you mean it roars like a tiger?" she asked sarcastically. Miyuki turned around at the sound of voices behind her to see that an audience of students had come outside to find out what was happening. "You should get going before the rest of the students come out here and make a fuss."

Blake directed a mock salute at Miyuki, revved the Harley up and took off towards the road that would lead them off Astraea Hill. Gripping the handlebars tightly, she glanced over her shoulder to catch Shizuma leaning forward and wrapping her arms around Blake's waist. "Better hold on for this part of the ride," Blake shouted over the roar of the engines. "It's downhill and I don't want to have you fall off!" Blake didn't hear Shizuma's reply, but guessed that she understood when she tightened her hold on her waist.

They eased slowly down the hill, Blake being extra careful about punching the gas. The sound of the Harley's twin engines seemed to drown the rest of the sounds as the leafy cover of the trees above them cleared. When they rolled onto the road below the hill, Blake guided the Harley to a stop at the curb. She nudged the kickstand down with her foot, turned to face her passenger and asked, "How are you doing so far?" Blake pushed her visor up and playfully tapped on Shizuma's visor.

Amber eyes appeared from the raised visor. "I'm alright. Just a bit nervous since this is my first time on a motorcycle."

Blake smiled even though she knew that it could not be seen. "It is more exhilarating than riding in a car though you get maybe half the exhilaration if you ride a convertible. Are you ready to go for the real ride?" Blake asked, putting the kickstand back up and revving the engine. "Better hold on!" she shouted, shoving her visor back down and making the Harley shoot down the road. This was her element; being one with the onrushing wind and racing down a seemingly endless road. She only wished that it would last forever.

* * *

The hour-long drive went by very quickly. Blake concentrated on the road and glanced at her side mirrors to check if there were oncoming vehicles throughout the whole ride. Despite the cold that came with the partly cloudy skies, it was a beautiful day to be on the road. The highway that they were on led them to a coastal road that gave them a breathtaking view of the sea on one side and rural towns on the other. The sea gently sparkled as its waves crashed rhythmically against the battered shores.

When a beachfront house appeared further down the road, Blake slowed down and eased the Harley into the cobblestone driveway of the house. A familiar tall and sandy-haired man shot out of the door as Blake put her foot down on the ground and cut off the engine.

Kairos grinned as he stepped to side of the Harley and clapped Blake on the shoulder. "So you made it! You took forever despite the fact that I gave you a fast motorcycle!" He took the helmet from Blake's hands and assisted the still helmet-clad Shizuma off the Harley. He was dressed simply in a plain white t-shirt and to Blake's amusement his favorite pair of worn-out jeans.

The raven-haired girl scowled jokingly at her guardian while she let the motorcycle balance on its kickstand. "I am a responsible motorcyclist, Kairos," Blake reminded the young man. "I only went as fast as the speed limit dictates me to go. I was ecstatic about the Harley though."

Kairos smiled with his arms crossed over his chest. "I had a feeling that you would react that way," he told her and looked at the other girl who was in the process of removing her helmet. "So who is our other guest for this day?" Kairos' easy smile turned into open-mouthed surprise as platinum hair cascaded down as the girl shook her hair out when the helmet was removed. "Well, well!" Kairos exclaimed and gave a bow to the Etoile. "You caught me by surprise, Shizuma-san!"

Shizuma let Blake take the helmet from her hands. "It is a pleasure to meet you again, Kairos-san," Shizuma greeted politely with a smile on her face. "I am curious though why you are surprised by my presence."

The young man shook his head, his short sand-blonde hair bounced with the movement. "I just thought that being an Etoile would entail you to be very busy," Kairos explained himself. "So I thought that you would not have the time to accompany Blake on this trip." The sound of a door swinging open made Kairos turn around in time to see a woman step outside.

"Ah so our visitors have arrived!" The woman seemed to be in her late thirties and wore her brown hair in a ponytail. She had a sharp featured face that held hazel eyes hidden behind glasses set on the bridge of her nose. The woman was also dressed simply in jeans and a long sleeved red shirt. She stepped up to Blake and held out her hand with a smile. "I am Doctor Jun Kurosawa," she introduced herself, giving Blake two firm shakes then offering a handshake to Shizuma. "You could call me Doc," she let out, not giving Blake the chance to ask how she wanted to be called.

"It is an honor to meet you, Doc," Blake said sincerely. She faced Shizuma and said, "Doc this is Shizuma. She is both my friend and classmate in Saint Miator academy." She watched as Shizuma bowed in respect to the older woman who in turn complied with a bow of her own.

"I am equally honored that you bring such a well-known girl to my household, Blake," Doctor Kurosawa commented and motioned for all of them to go inside the house. "Come now! It's getting a bit chilly out here." She led the group into the house and into the living room. She gestured for the two girls to make themselves comfortable in one of the couches in the room and shoved Kairos towards another door. "Be a gentleman and bring the ladies a warm drink," she ordered as Kairos disappeared through the door. She sat in an armchair adjacent to the couch Blake and Shizuma were sitting on and asked, "I trust your trip went well?"

"Uneventful but it was an easy ride," Blake replied as she took in the appearance of their hostess. "I was surprised though that Kairos sent a Harley Davidson motorcycle to the dormitory door steps." When she saw the look that the doctor gave her, Blake quickly added, "It's rare to find a Harley Davidson in this country."

Doctor Kurosawa laughed. "The Harley Davidson you rode going here was my brother's," she told the girls. "When he left to travel around the world, he decided to give the motorcycle to me as a gift despite knowing that I would never ride such a monster." Her eyes twinkled as she looked at the young girls seated before her. "I've had it for more than a year already so I told Kairos to have the motorcycle sent to Astraea hill when he told me that you were an accomplished motorcyclist."

The raven-haired girl was charmed by the Doctor's brisk but gentle handling of her visitors. She was indeed a formidable lady. "That was very kind of you," Blake pointed out and glanced over her shoulder to see Kairos carrying a tray of steaming mugs to them.

Doctor Kurosawa waited until each of them held a mug of tea before continuing. "I would like you to keep the motorcycle with you on Astraea hill," she raised a hand up to silence the protest of Blake. "Look, I have no use for it and it would be a waste if it's just left in my garage," she pointed out. "I would like it if you used it for the duration of your stay in Japan."

Blake opened her mouth to protest when a large hand shot out in front of her face and covered her mouth. She glared at Kairos who had sat on the arm of the couch nearest Blake. She scowled at Kairos when he withdrew his hand. "That's too much, Doc!" Blake tried but got poked by Kairos for her answer.

"Just say thank you, Blake!" he told his charge.

The raven-haired girl was tapping her foot impatiently against the floor trying to figure out something so that she would not have to accept the gift of the doctor until she felt a hand on her forearm. She looked to her side and saw a pleading look in Shizuma's eyes. _I am making a fool of myself in front of her._ Blake finally nodded her head in acceptance. "So tell me doctor, I gleaned from my past conversations with Kairos that you're a marine biologist. Have you found anything interesting?"

"Aside from the degradation of the coral reefs and overfishing I haven't found anything of interest. Oh wait," she said with a smirk on her face. "I did find something interesting. Your friend over there," she pointed at Kairos. "Swims like he is some paralytic thrown into the water."

"Hey!" Kairos protested.

Blake and Shizuma chuckled at the comment. "Well it is true that Kairos here isn't exactly one with the water. He may have taught me a lot, but he certainly did not teach me how to swim." Blake ducked and avoided a blow from Kairos and quickly used her hand to shove him off the arm of the couch. She smiled sweetly at Kairos who glared up at her from the floor. "No wonder the only things you make him to do is carry the equipment. He surely does well in that kind of activity."

Everyone including Kairos laughed at Blake's joke. Their continued conversation touched on numerous topics, which spanned from Blake and Shizuma's education to Kairos and Blake's association with the Lionheart organization. To Blake's annoyance, their conversation also included the play that she had been slighted to take part in. Fortunately, she was able to control her wild emotions about the subject and managed not to shove Kairos off the couch.

It was around noon when Doctor Kurosawa looked at her wristwatch and pushed herself off the chair. "It's almost time for lunch," she told them. "Why don't you kids go down to the beach and explore?" she suggested, walking over to Kairos' side and handing him a list. "I'm afraid Kairos won't be included in your expedition since he's off to do an expedition of his own."

"If you call going to the fish market further down the road to buy fresh seafood an expedition," Kairos said glumly while pocketing the list then making his way out of the house.

Doctor Kurosawa laughed along with Blake and Shizuma as they watched Kairos wave at them outside the window before boarding the car and driving out of the gate. "Well, go on now!" she shooed the two girls out onto the back porch, which opened onto the wide expanse of beach. "Be back in an hour or so!" she called out as Blake and Shizuma made their way towards the water. "The food will be ready by then!" She disappeared into the house.

Blake and the platinum-haired Etoile walked in comfortable silence across the sand for a few minutes. The wind had died down so it was not as cold like in the morning when they arrived. She loved the beach and she still remembered the first time Kairos and some other members of the organization had brought her to one. Blake was still thirteen years old when she first saw what the sea looked liked. Kairos could not stop laughing as she half ran and half stumbled across the beach while struggling to get her shoes off her feet.

"What are you thinking about?"

Blake blinked her eyes and turned to stare at the curiosity filled amber eyes looking into her own. "Sorry," she said. "I lost myself in my thoughts." She grinned at Shizuma before bending down to free her feet from her shoes.

Shizuma gave a small grin of her own at the other girl as she too bent down to remove her shoes. "I still want to know what you were thinking about," she persisted, setting her shoes on the sand. "From the look on your face, I'm guessing it was a happy memory for you."

The raven-haired girl nodded her head and plopped her own shoes beside Shizuma's shoes. "I just happened to remember my first time on the beach," she explained. "It was around five years ago-"

"You were already thirteen when you first saw what a beach looked like?" Shizuma interrupted with surprise on her face.

Blake shook her head. "Not just the beach, Shizuma," she told the other girl as they left their shoes on the sand and walked closer to the water. "It was my first time to see the ocean too. Kairos and some of the other organization members took me on an outing shortly after I was placed in their care."

Shizuma smiled up at Blake. "I take it that you enjoyed yourself?" She idly let their arms link together. She was sure that Blake was used to it by now.

"Enjoyed it?" Blake repeated with a bark of laughter. "I didn't even want to leave the beach! Kairos and the other had to wait until I tired myself out before they could haul my sleeping body into the car!" She and Shizuma laughed at that. Blake led them to a spot not close to the oncoming rush of waves where the sand was still dry and powdery, but just near enough to appreciate it.

"You had a lot of great memories with Kairos and the organization, didn't you?" Shizuma asked, settling herself on the sand as she sifted both her hands and toes through it.

Blake decorously sat beside Shizuma and watched her run her fingers through the sand. "I did," Blake replied. "It was the time that I ever felt happy," she let out then immediately regretted it. She knew that she had just given Shizuma the opportunity to ask about things she never wanted to remember. "Forget what I said," she tried.

"No." Shizuma laid a gentle hand on Blake's arm. "Blake, please!" she tried to make Blake look at her. "I want to know!" she pleaded. "I have wanted to get to know you more, but you have been making it difficult!" She finally laid a hand on Blake's cheek and urged her to look at her. "Tell me and I will tell you about myself," she struck the deal that she knew Blake could not ignore. "Don't pretend that you have not been the slightest bit curious about my past."

Blake stared at Shizuma, waiting for her to give up on asking her about her past. She had to admit though that the deal that the other girl had brought up was appealing. Blake was curious about the past of the Etoile. She had heard so many things about her that she has always wanted to get to the bottom of. The raven-haired girl finally looked away and sighed. "I won't go into the details," she warned.

Shizuma nodded her head. "That is fine with me." She waited patiently for the older girl to collect herself and start retelling her past ever so shrouded with mystery and intrigue. Shizuma watched as Blake's storm-gray eyes turned from calm and bright to hard and bleak.

"I was imprisoned in some scientific facility," she finally started. "I hardly remember how I came to be there, but it was the worst years of my life." Blake let her hands clench tightly into fists on the sand as she continued. "A guinea pig," she spat out. "That's what I was to those people. Not a single day went by that I was subjected to tests and experiments that would inflict pain and fear. They toyed with my mind until I was at my limit of sanity." She shrugged her shoulders with bitterness pasted on her face. "Every type of pain I felt those years be it psychological, physical and mental, it drove me to the brink." She looked at Shizuma with the same hate and bitterness when she was still in that facility. "There were times when I wanted to take my own life, but they prevented me from doing that."

Shizuma stayed silent when Blake took a few moments to both collect and calm herself. "What did you do? How were you able to escape?"

"After six years of staying in that facility, a new employee had joined their team. She was naïve and she never expected the kinds of evil deeds that happened within the facility. She wandered into the hall where the guards were hauling my beaten body into the confines of my room." Blake gazed at the waves that continuously crashed a few feet away from them. "She hid and watched as the guards carelessly through me into the room, punch in a code at the door lock and disappear down the hall before she walked towards the door. Of course, she could not get to me because of the coded door lock, but she was able to see me through the glass window that was installed so they could monitor my behavior. I remember forcing myself to look at the unfamiliar face that gazed at me from that window even though I felt exhausted. Her lips moved as if she was telling me something, but I could not understand. Then she was gone."

Now Shizuma was really intrigued by Blake's past. She wished Blake would tell her all the details, but she knew that she would not dare. "Who was she then?"

Blake glanced at Shizuma with the corners of her eyes. "The next day after I was subjected to the usual tests and experiments, the guards didn't bring me to my room like the usual. Instead, they brought me to what looked like to be a medical bay. They just dropped on the floor without a care and left. I could not get up from sheer exhaustion, but there were hands that half carried and dragged me onto a bed. It was her," Blake said. "It turned out that she had been assigned by her superiors to care for me so that I'd be in good enough health to go through the next day's tests. It was like that for the next few months," Blake mused. "I'd be driven to exhaustion then hauled to the medical bay for treatment. I didn't realize that the doctor was scheming behind her superiors' backs. One day when she was finishing treating me, she whispered in my ear that she was going to break me out of the facility in two days. She had secretly contacted her cousin who was working for a government agency and informed him about what the facility was doing to me." Blake paused as a shadow descended on her face.

Shizuma fidgeted on the sand as she painfully watched Blake struggle with her emotions. She knew that somehow whatever it was that was going to come from her lips was going to be difficult to say. "It's ok," she said. "If you don't want to continue, you don't need to. I don't want to see you hurt."

Blake shook her head furiously. "You've gotten me to say this far and…" she paused once more. "I've been meaning to tell someone about it for the longest time so just hear me out." Blake let her eyes stray once more from Shizuma's eyes and looked at the sky. "When the day arrived, I was at the medical bay with her when an unfamiliar man stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. It turned out to be her cousin in disguise and they both snuck me out of the building and onto the courtyard of the facility. I was still weary despite the treatment as we strode quietly across the yard when the alarms went off and a dozen or so guards with guns came at us from behind." The distress on her face became apparent. "They were about to open fire on us when gunshots from the gate rung out and dropped a few of the guards. It was the infiltration team and they had come to our rescue. They had killed all the guards in the yard, but…" Blake swallowed a sudden lump that formed in her throat. "There was a sniper on the roof of the building and there was this sudden flare of pain in my shoulder. I had been shot at and before one of the members of the infiltration team could dispose the sniper, he was able to get clear for another shot but it didn't hit me."

"It was her… wasn't it?" Shizuma said softly, pulling her knees to her chest and burying her face in them. "She became the victim of that sniper's shot."

Blake nodded her head and felt her face tighten in mixed anger and sadness upon remembering what happened. "It was a fatal hit. Even airlifting her on the helicopter of the team would not save her. I felt like my insides were being wrenched out as I watched her fall in a bloody heap on the ground. I held her and tried to keep her alive. I literally watched and felt her life slip away in my arms before I was dragged by her cousin into the helicopter and flown to their headquarters. Even when the government had sent a much bigger combat team to take over the facility, they never found her body. After a few months of rehabilitation, I was officially put in the custody of the Lionheart organization that her cousin happened to be part of."

"Who was this cousin? Is he still in the organization?" Shizuma asked.

Blake raised her eyebrows as a sudden grin formed on her face. "He still is in the organization and he happens to be Kairos."

"It was him? He was the cousin of the doctor and he was the one who helped save you?"

"I owe my life to him," Blake said firmly. "I spent the next years until now under his care." Blake closed her eyes and let out a long breath. Her eyes snapped opened when she felt two cool hands cup her face and press her against a chest. "Shizuma?" she asked, letting the other girl hold her head against her chest.

"I am grateful that you chose to open up to me," she whispered. "I never thought that you would be such a person who could have survived the horrors of such a life." She let go of Blake and smiled. "I am glad that I know and like a person like you."

Blake could not help but blush at the comment. "Thanks, I think," she replied. She knew very well that Shizuma was starting to flirt with her again. "I think it's about time we head back for lunch." She stood up and pulled Shizuma to her feet. "I think I see Kairos on the front porch waving at us to go back."

Shizuma dusted off her jeans and followed Blake across the sand. "That's a good idea. I'm actually famished!" she exclaimed.

"Then you'll definitely enjoy the baked clams that Kairos makes if he does make it for lunch." She grinned at Shizuma as they walked to the spot where they left their shoes and grabbed them.

Shizuma looked surprised at what Blake said. "Kairos cooks?"

"He does even though it looks like he'll just burn whatever dish he makes." They both walked up onto the porch of the beach house and went inside for a rather late lunch.

* * *

The sun was on its way down on the horizon when Blake and Shizuma were about to board the Harley once more to head back to Astraea Hill. They had enjoyed the lunch that was prepared for them by Doc and Kairos so much that they ended up staying at the lunch table for over three hours. It was Kairos, who finally reminded them that they had to leave soon if they wanted to get back in time.

Blake was attaching the straps of the helmet firmly under her chin when Kairos came out with a small duffel bag and tossed it into her arms. "What is this?" she asked.

"A bunch of stuff I bought for you while I was in the city," he replied. "There's a brand new pair of sneakers for you in there. I know that your current pair is worn out so I decided to buy you a new one before they break apart. There is also the latest book of your favorite author, a few shirts and a coupon booklet inside."

Blake dug through the duffel bag and pulled out the coupon booklet. "What is this?"

"If you get bored of the food in your dormitory, I found a sushi bar just a few streets away from the base of Astraea Hill. One coupon is a full meal for one person and it is valid until next year so use it properly."

Blake stepped towards the older man and hugged him fiercely for a few seconds before getting on the Harley. "Thanks Kairos! I really appreciate it!" She turned to Doc and reached out to shake hands with her. "Doc," she started.

"You don't need to thank me, dear!" Doc interrupted before Blake could finish. "I truly enjoyed having you and Shizuma over! Drop by again when you can! Go on now!" she shooed them away with a flip of her hand.

Blake grinned under her helmet and ignited the engine. She gave a last wave to Kairos and Doc before she put up the kicked stand and drove the Harley down the cobblestone pathway and onto the main road. She glanced at her side mirror and saw that Kairos had positioned himself at the side of the main road, waving goodbye. _I'll call you soon my friend, _Blake thought as she focused on the road in front of her and relished the feeling of slender arms once more settling around her waist as they cruised down the road.

* * *

_**it's been like what? over 2 weeks? for the great delay, i apologize! i'm afraid i'm still buried knee-deep in school work, papers and exams which will continue to hinder me from updating faster. rest assured that i already have a few pages down for the next chapter and hopefully i'll be able to produce something by this week's end.**_

_**moomoocachu : thanks for reading once more!**_

_**mewho : i'm flattered that you read it in one sitting! hahaha! keep reading as i update!**_

_**Nightwing of the Azure Shadow : thanks again for reading. as for the parts that were awkwardly written, well i'm obviously at fault since i write after i've done all my schoolwork and that's in the wee hours of the morning. hahaha! my mind is not in the right state for writing when you're supposed to be sleeping. hehe! as for the coincidence of twelth night being the same play as in another story, i assure you i did not plagiarize. i never read the strawberry panic fanfic that had the same play. making the annual school play to be twelfth night was purely done due to a particular experience that i went through back in high school that involved my classmates forcing me to play the role of one of the lead characters (although it wasn't twelfth night that we were doing) and eventually bribed me into accepting. hahaha! otherwise i hope i haven't offended you or any other readers.**_

_**Alaeri : did you change your username? i sort of remember that it was different. anyway, thanks for the compliment. i intended the chapter to be a bit lighter and funnier compared to the previous chapters and i'm glad that you enjoyed it. **_

_**flamefire: honestly, my roommate thought that there was something wrong with me because i was trying to suppress a laugh as i typed the last few paragraphs. anyhow, thanks for the review! **_

_**Dar: thanks for the review! as for the play, it won't come until chapter 10, but please carry on and i assure you that i'll have it ready as soon as possible! **_

_**Next chapter : One-on-one rehearsals with the Etoile, Kairos comes for a visit with a little proposal for Blake and the general rehearsal on the eve before the play. **_


	9. Alone But Not Actually

_Chapter 9 : Alone But Not Actually_

"Blake!"

The raven-haired girl twisted her neck slightly to the side to look at her seatmate. _"What is it?"_ she mouthed, trying not to catch the attention of their teacher who was busily writing notes on the blackboard.

Shizuma whispered in a barely heard voice, "Meet me outside the hallway after this period. We could have lunch together since Miyuki just informed me that all our meetings were moved to another date." She flicked her eyes to the front in warning when she spotted the teacher looking in their direction.

"Could you tell me where William Shakespeare lived and why he was called a jack of all trades but a master of none, Blake?" Their teacher stared at Blake and Shizuma from the elevated platform.

Without standing and with her elbow propped up on her desk Blake automatically answered in an uninterested voice, "Shakespeare lived in Stratford upon Avon in England. The reason why he was called a jack of all trades but a master of none was because he took up many jobs, but never stuck to one long enough to master it."

The teacher narrowed her eyes at Blake and Shizuma, but was unable to scold any further because it was obvious that Blake held previous knowledge about the lesson they were discussing. "Alright," she finally told the class. "We'll skip ahead and discuss Twelfth Night so that all of you who will be taking part in it will at least have a working background in it."

Shizuma discreetly beckoned Blake with one slender finger and winked at her when she finally looked. _"After class," _she mouthed then turned to the front to listen attentively to their instructor.

When the school bell finally rang to signal the start of lunch period, Blake casually gathered her things and walked outside of the classroom. She stepped to one side of the hallway and waited patiently as the students from her class and the other classrooms filed into the hallway and made their way to the cafeteria. She looked through a crack in their classroom door that Shizuma was saying something to Miyuki. It took a few more minutes of waiting before Shizuma stepped out of the classroom and smiled up at Blake.

"Shall we then?" she asked, linking their arms together and leading Blake down the hall and three flights of stairs. As usual, the younger students threw furtive glances at them and there were also the occasional squeals and coos that came from others. "You're not your usual self," Shizuma finally pointed out when they walked into the main lobby of the Miator building. "Is there something wrong?"

"It's nothing you should worry about," Blake grunted, trying to lead Shizuma into the building's cafeteria, but was led outside by Shizuma. She became curious where Shizuma was taking her for lunch but just shrugged it off, thinking that they were going to have lunch back at the dormitories.

"I would like to know."

Blake sighed as unlaced Shizuma's arm from her own and put on her coat. "I got a call from Kairos last night," she told the other girl gloomily. She thought back to the exact moment when she had gotten the call.

* * *

_Last night…_

"What?"

_"I know that it's short notice, but I've been asked to go the organization's branch in New York. __It's urgent business that I must__ to attend to."_

Blake began to pace in her room. "I thought they said that you were to stay in the same vicinity as me until I finish my education here in Astraea Hill!" She knew she sounded upset by the sudden development.

_"It was supposed to be that way, but something has come up and I am needed in New York."_

Blake sat heavily on the edge of her bed. "When and how long?"

_"Tomorrow night. I'll probably be in New York until May."_ There was a forced cheer in his voice as he continued to talk to his charge. _"I know you will be able to take care of yourself without me there. I've taught you well enough for the past five years to be self-sustainable." _

The raven-haired girl sighed heavily as she swung her feet up onto her bed. "I know that I could perfectly live on my own, but I'm not just used to the fact that you'll be half a world away when for the past five years you have always been with me." Blake lay on her back and covered her tired eyes with her free hand. "I'll be alone."

Kairos chuckled on the other line. _"Who says you'll be alone? You have your classmates and friends from Astraea Hill with you!" _he pointed out. Then with a hint of a snicker, he added, _"And there's a particular silver-haired beauty."_

"What?" Blake sputtered, abruptly sitting up on her bed. "Kairos! I-I-" she struggled to say something. She was definitely caught off guard when her friend mentioned that.

_"Did you think I was so ignorant to not know upon enrolling you in that school that the Etoile was attracted to you? Did you think I was too naïve that it would not cross my mind that enrolling you in an exclusive all-girls school might make you swing the other way or at least have some tendencies?" _He chuckled softly. _"Blake I've known you for a long time. __We live in a time where everything and everyone is starting to become liberal. I don't care who you fall in love with," _he said with a very serious tone of voice. _"As long as I see that you are happy, then I will be happy too."_

"You think that I'm falling for Shizuma?" Blake demanded.

_"Truthfully, I am not sure of that," _he admitted. _"It's obvious though that right now it's more like unrequited love on the part of Shizuma. I must say that she tends to be touchy-feely especially when the two of you have alone time."_

"You've been spying on me?" she almost shouted in the confines of her room. She knew that if she kept up with this, she was going to end up waking all the other students.

Kairos laughed and confessed, _"No Blake, I haven't been spying on you while you're in school but when you and Shizuma came over to visit a few days ago I did do some spying. When I came back from the fish market, I watched the two of you from a hidden spo__t then snuck back to the house." _He clucked his tongue at his charge when she started to curse loudly. _"Now, now!__ You know that it's bad to curse!"_

"Bad to curse, my ass!" Blake snapped. "May I remind you that I learned my rich vocabulary of cursing from a certain someone," she said with mock calmness. "Don't go clearing your throat and pretending that you don't know what I'm talking about!"

_"Alright! I am at fault for helping you develop that rich__ vocabulary of cursing of yours, but seriously my little dragon! Live and just let everything be the way it's supposed to be."_

Blake could not help but smile at what her friend said. "You haven't called me that for a long time," she told her friend. "I don't even remember why you started to call me little dragon."

_"We'll leave that for another time. Right now, I have to hang up. I have to finish some paperwork for the organization then pack. Take care of yourself alright and I'll be sure to call you up every once in a while when I'm New York already."_

"I'll do that Kairos. Take care!"

* * *

"So he is going to New York? No wonder you seemed upset!" 

Blake nodded as she watched Shizuma set a cup of tea in front of her. She had recounted her conversation with Kairos excluding the parts about Shizuma throughout their walk to the greenhouse. Shizuma had offered to serve her lunch in the greenhouse, but she had lost her appetite as they continued talking about the sudden departure of her friend. "I guess I'm not just used to fact that I won't be having Kairos with me for a long time when he's been there for me ever since," Blake confessed.

"He said you technically won't be alone while he's gone," Shizuma pointed out. "You have numerous friends among the students from different schools and there is Doctor Kurosawa too!" She eased herself into the chair adjacent to Blake, reached over the tabletop and laced her and Blake's fingers together. In a soft voice, she added, "I'm still here, Blake."

Rather than hide the usual crimson color that adorns her face whenever Shizuma would flirt, Blake just nodded her head and tightened her hold on Shizuma's hand. _That's what Kairos said too,_ she thought. _I wouldn't be alone because you're here. _She allowed herself to be entrapped in the other girl's gaze and unknowingly started caressing the back of Shizuma's hand with the pad of her thumb.

"I see that you're getting used to my advances on you," Shizuma teased. "Usually you'd jump away and try to hide your reactions." Her surprise became even greater when she observed a growing smile on Blake's face instead of her jumping away. "My! You've really become used to it!" she exclaimed. "Now before you get too comfortable, we need to get down to business."

The smile on Blake's face froze. "What business?" Her smile melted to a frown.

Shizuma smiled sweetly at Blake as she took away her hand, reached below the table and set two copies of their script on the table. "Did you think I'd forget about our one-on-one practice?" With her smile still unfading, she flipped both their copies of the script to a particular page. "Now come on and let's do this scene when you rant about your feelings for Olivia to me."

Blake scowled at the script in her hands and glared at the platinum-haired girl. "I guess I have no choice then," she relented, taking a deep breath before reading out the lines from the script. "Cesario, I have unveiled to you my deep feelings; the secret of my soul. Good lad! For my sake, go to her doorstep and do not leave until she grants you an audience!"

"I will go my lord, but she will never admit me into her home!" Shizuma replied, running her finger down the page of her script. Despite the seriousness of their rehearsal, Shizuma's flirtatious gaze on Blake remained steady.

"Then let the lady Olivia know the passion of my love! She will take it better coming from a youth like you."

Shizuma gestured with her hands as she replied, "I think not my lord! She cannot be so easily swayed by your words of passion that leave my mouth!"

The raven-haired girl was starting to feel more comfortable as she continued rehearsing with the Etoile. "Believe it lad! With your youthful appearance and your sweet and youthful voice, she will hear you out. Make this a success and you shall live as freely as me."

"Hark! I will do my best to woo your lady!" She signaled to Blake that she was going to recite the aside, which consisted of lines that represented the thoughts of the character. "This is a great strife!" Shizuma let out a sigh and continued to heatedly gaze at Blake. "Whoever lady I woo will be his wife, but I myself yearn to be his lady!"

"Can you stop looking at me like that?" Blake let out feeling exasperated. "You drag me into practicing with you, but you end up just distracting me!" She still could not deny how intrigued she felt under Shizuma's heated gaze.

"An actress does not allow herself to be distracted by such diminutive things," Shizuma pointed out as she flipped through the pages of the script.

"You forget that I'm no actress," The raven-haired girl scoffed. "Besides, what else is there to practice with you when our characters hardly have dialogues with each other throughout the whole play?" Despite still not liking the fact that she was playing a major role in the play, she had dutifully read the whole script.

"Hmmm…" Shizuma hummed out in thought. "Well, you're right about the limited dialogue between Duke Orsino and Viola," she replied. With a gleam in her eyes, she added, "But it doesn't mean that there aren't any other parts that you and I could practice together."

Blake shuddered at the thought. "I'd rather not," she told the other girl with all honesty.

"Who says that you have a choice?"

The raven-haired grumbled something incomprehensible and allowed Shizuma to show her the next scene that they were going to practice. "Let's try this part," she pointed at the page. "I know it's a scene between my character and Olivia, but I'd really like it if you assist me in rehearsing this part." She stood from her chair, walked over to a nearby stone bench and motioned for Blake to follow. "Here's what I want you to do," she said as she pushed Blake to sit on the bench. "In this scene, you," she was referring to Blake's character. "Just sent me again to proclaim your love to the Lady Olivia," she continued. "I would like you to just sit on that bench and read out the lines of Olivia and when you get to this line," she pointed to a particular line. "You have to pull me down next to you on the bench."

Blake quickly read through the series of lines then looked up. "I take it that Lady Olivia is flirting with you," she said in a wry drawl. "Sort of reminds me of a certain someone."

"Oh hush!" Shizuma waved a hand at her. "We should continue rehearsing!" she scolded, then gave a small smile. "Besides, don't you think a certain someone actually enjoys the flirting?" She let out a laugh when she saw the signature scowl on Blake's face. "If you don't want me to continue teasing, let's start!"

With the scowl still on her face, Blake motioned for Shizuma to start the sequence of dialogue between the two characters. They traded lines for a few minutes as practice before they did the real thing.

"What be your name young man? All you servants leave this garden and close the gate behind you!" Blake read with little to nothing emotion. She received a glare from Shizuma for not giving justice to the script.

The platinum-haired girl bent down in a low and expressive bow. "Your servant Cesario, my lady."

"My servant? You are the Duke Orsino's servant," Blake said with better enunciation and feeling.

"And he is yours, my lady and his must needs be yours."

Blake let out a well-acted sigh and looked dully at Shizuma. "I think not of him. I bade that you do not speak of him again, but that you undertake your own love," she looked at Shizuma with half-lidded eyes in an attempt to get back at her for flirting. "I would rather you do that!" she snapped her hand out, grabbed Shizuma by the wrist and pulled her roughly to the vacant seat on the bench.

"Dear lady!" Shizuma exclaimed. Her voice sounded anxious but her actions were completely the opposite. Instead of trying to inch away from Blake, the girl snaked her arm around Blake's waist.

Blake stared at Shizuma and let out another sigh. "If you keep flirting when you're not supposed to, what's the point then of rehearsing these lines? You're just distracting me!" she complained, pushing Shizuma and walking away from her. "I think it's enough practice for today," she told Shizuma with her back facing her and her arms crossed over her chest. She was starting to feel tired.

"Perhaps it wasn't such a good day to make you practice especially with the news that Kairos is leaving the country tonight," Shizuma confessed, making her way to the sullen-looking Blake and wrapping the girl in a warm embrace. "I'm sorry for distracting you," she apologized, feeling Blake relax in her hold. "I promise that I'll be more professional when you choose to practice with me again."

Blake nodded her head and escaped from Shizuma's hold. "I would be grateful for that." She gently smiled at the slightly shorter girl.

"Shizuma! Are you in here? Have you seen-"

Shizuma looked at the entrance of her greenhouse and saw Miyuki standing at the door. "Oh Miyuki," she greeted. "Is something wrong?"

The Miator president shook her head and looked at Blake. "Blake you have a visitor," she told the girl with a smile on her face. "I believe that Kairos-san would appreciate it if you make haste and meet him at the courtyard outside of the Miator academy."

Blake gaped at Miyuki for what seemed like a minute before she finally snapped out of her thoughts. "Did you just say that Kairos is here?" She rubbed the back of her head when she saw Miyuki nod her head in confirmation. "I didn't think that he would even have time to come over and say goodbye personally." A sudden grin formed on her face. "Excuse me, but I'll go ahead and meet up with him!" She bowed to both Miyuki and Shizuma and made her way out of the greenhouse and towards Miator's courtyard in an easy jog.

Miyuki watched Blake's retreating form for a few seconds before turning to look at her friend. "So have you been enjoying your time with Blake?" she asked wryly. "I would think that Blake would have figured it out on her own that the one-on-one rehearsals that you've been having are not as necessary as you think."

"She knows Miyuki," Shizuma told her friend and former roommate. "We hardly rehearsed anyway. She was too preoccupied with the fact that Kairos-san is leaving for New York tonight." She walked towards her friend and motioned for her to follow. "Accompany me back to the campus?"

Both girls walked at a more leisurely pace back to their campus. Miyuki reminded Shizuma of her other duties as Shizuma dutifully listened with a plastered look of attention on her face. She had never paid much attention to the reminders of Miyuki because she was always able to do her duties without much effort. Right now, she was more interested in the raven-haired beauty that was in the process of fully capturing her.

* * *

"Pardon?" 

Kairos smiled knowingly at his charge as they stood facing each other in the courtyard. "I said," he repeated once more for the other girl's sake. "I would like to have a practice bout with you before I leave for New York tonight." He looked at Blake without blinking to show his seriousness about the matter. "It will assure me that you will be able to take care of yourself while I'm not here," he explained.

"You do realize that there's no proper place where we can have this practice bout," Blake told her guardian. "And there's also the fact that I haven't had any time to practice ever since I started studying here." She was trying to steer Kairos out of his idea but she was unknowingly stretching her leg muscles.

The sandy blonde-haired man laughed. "It does not matter Blake," Kairos said. "I haven't had any practice since we got here, so it'll be quite a fair fight." He began to stretch his body in various positions to warm and loosen his muscles. "As I said earlier, I'll be assured that you'll be able to take care of yourself without me if we were to have this match. Being appointed your guardian also meant that I should protect you."

Blake sighed and began to copy the stretching activities of her friend. "Alright Kairos," she finally relented. "It has to be a quick match though. What are we going to do anyway? The weapons that you gave me are back at the dormitories."

Kairos dropped to the ground and stretched out his legs. "No need for the weapons. Let's just go with unarmed combat," he told Blake calmly. "It's simpler and not as dangerous," he added as he jumped back up to his feet and twisted the kinks out of his neck. "As for the rules, the person who knocks his opponent onto his back and manages to pin him with a submission move will be declared the winner."

Blake nodded her head in agreement as she finished her own stretching. "Let us make this quick before the students are dismissed from their classes," she suggested. "It'll be a big mess if we're caught fighting." With that said, Blake settled her body into a neutral stance that would allow her to go from either a offensive or defensive move.

For what seemed like a full minute, the guardian and his charge eyed each other without moving an inch. Both the man and girl's stances were similar from their raised fists held before their chests down to their feet lightly set on the ground. It was clear to the eye that they were both learned in the same kind of unarmed combat style. There was very soft but audible click in the distance and that was all Kairos and Blake needed as a signal to start their bout as they threw themselves forward in attack.

The raven-haired girl kept her eyes focused on the chest area of her mentor and guardian. She had been taught by Kairos and other martial arts instructors that you would know what your opponent would throw next by observing his chest movements. Right now, she knew from the familiar twist of his torso that he was going to try to land a kick to her head. Blake ducked just in time as a powerful kick swung over her head. Before she could even land a blow of her own, Kairos pivoted on his free foot and launched another kick this time at Blake's midsection which connected solidly.

Blake skidded a few feet back as she clutched at her stomach. She barely skidded to a stop on the stone-paved path when her friend threw a punch at her, which she was able to deflect with her forearm. Blake jumped aside and began a series of punches and kicks, which were meant to confuse and eventually throw her opponent off balance. At the corner of her eye, she spotted an opening in Kairos' defenses and flung her leg at lightning speed at Kairos' side. She watched the older man stagger back with dead seriousness in her eyes as she lunged forward and rammed her fist into Kairos' abdomen. Blake was poised to take a counter attack and immediately moved to the side, but was sent flying when another of Kairos' powerful kicks landed on her arm-protected chest. Blake landed on her back but quickly got to her feet as she eyed the other man.

"You're a persistent little thing," Kairos grunted as he lowered himself to a defensive stance. "It makes me happy to see that you still take it seriously that one should get back to his feet upon being knocked down. A smaller opponent on the floor has less chances of winning." Kairos darted to one side in an attempt to confuse Blake then rushed forward to engage once more with his charge. They couldn't land any punches and kicks at such a close range so the both of them grappled with each other. "You're on the losing end, Blake," Kairos pointed out with a smirk on his face. He easily lifted the younger girl and threw her hard on the ground. "No escape!"

"What's going on here?" A shout echoed several feet away from them. Both Kairos and Blake glanced to the side and saw that Miyuki and Shizuma stared at them in shock.

Blake took the opportunity of the distraction and used her foot to throw a yelping Kairos over her head then flipped back to her feet. "You're getting sloppy Kairos," Blake taunted as they circled each other. "There was a time when you would be so focused in a fight that not a single sound would distract you from winning." To Shizuma and Miyuki, Blake shouted, "Stay out of this!" She did not bother to explain fully. She was intent on winning against her guardian and she could not afford to be distracted.

Once more, both fighters lunged at each other in a flurry of kicks and punches. Their fight had so far spanned a few minutes, but it seemed like they were fighting for more than an hour with the way they looked and continued. Blake was breathing heavily as she struggled to block and evade the attacks of her opponent while Kairos sported a bleeding cut on his cheek, which came from a highly accurate kick to his face from his charge. In addition to that, there was a thin trail of blood seeping from the corner of Blake's lips. The fight wasn't going to last any longer.

After a series of traded blows, Kairos and Blake found themselves grappling with each other once again. This time Kairos used his superior strength and height against Blake. The younger girl's legs flexed as Kairos slowly continued to force her down to her knees. "You won't be able to hold out any longer, Blake," Kairos pointed out as sweat dribbled down the side of face. "We all know who will be the victor in this battle!"

Blake resettled her grip on Kairos' biceps then gave the taller man a polite smile. She hooked her leg behind Kairos' and with strength and speed took out both of Kairos' legs and made him sprawl in an ungraceful heap on the ground. Before the older man could get back up on his feet, Blake immediately positioned her fist at his throat and glared at him. "Yield or I crush your throat." Those were the only words that left her mouth as she waited for Kairos to give in.

"I yield." There was a hard look on his face as he allowed Blake to step back. He watched as the girl stumble backward and fall on her knees, gasping for air. The extended period of time that they took up in grappling has taken its toll on the raven-haired girl. Kairos carefully got to his feet and was about to check on his charge when a girl clad in black blocked his path with an angry look on her face.

"What were you thinking?" Shizuma demanded as she angrily looked at the taller man. "You come here just to pick a fight with Blake before you leave for New York? How immature can you be?" She was absolutely fuming. She was just about to give another scolding when she felt a shaky hand grip her forearm.

Blake tiredly looked up at Shizuma's worried face and tried to give a reassuring smile. "Shizuma," she gasped. "You've got it all wrong. We weren't fighting per se." She pushed herself to her feet and allowed the other girl to hold her up. "We were just having a practice match. I agreed to it because it was going to assure Kairos that I'll be able to take care of myself if I'm forced to engage in a fight in the future."

Kairos gave a look of permission to Shizuma before approaching Blake with an outstretched hand. "You did better than I thought you would," he admitted as he and Blake clasped hands. "I could not wish for a better outcome than this despite the fact that I was utterly beaten." He lightly fingered the cut on his cheek and flinched in pain.

"Stay for awhile," Blake said. "We could get that cut stitched up."

Kairos shook his head. "It's alright. I have to get back to Doctor Kurosawa's and get my stuff." He turned to Shizuma and Miyuki and gave them a courteous bow. "I am sorry for the inconvenience and for making you worry needlessly." He stepped towards Blake and gave her a firm hug. "You take care of yourself," he ordered. "I won't be able to come back here immediately if you get in trouble."

Blake weakly grinned at her guardian when he finally pulled away. "I'll be fine dear friend." She let Shizuma place her arm around the platinum-haired girl's shoulders for support. "I'll see you soon." She watched as Kairos flagged down a black sedan, gave a last wave of goodbye before hopping into the car and driving off. Blake slumped forward and fell into the waiting arms of the Etoile. She could barely lift her head to meet the gaze of her friend.

"Blake!" Shizuma cried out as she and Blake fell to their knees. The worry in her face was evident. Her hands shook as she gently pushed away the disheveled locks of hair on Blake's face. "Miyuki! Call for help!" she put her attention on Blake as her friend scurried off to find help. "Blake! Please look at me!" she pleaded, laying the girl on her back and caressing the girl's cheeks.

Blake forced her eyes open and weakly smiled up at the worried face of the Etoile. "Shizuma," she said softly, reaching up and trying to cup her cheek. She was too weak to do so, but watched as Shizuma caught her raised hand and nestled her cheek against it. "You better not cry over me," she warned. "It's as if I'm going to die from a small practice bout." She rubbed the pad of her thumb under one bright amber orb.

Shizuma nodded her head and continued to hold on to Blake while waiting for Miyuki to come back with help. "Promise me," she started, making Blake look up at her. "Promise me that you won't do anything that will make me worry." She put her finger against Blake's lips to silence her protests. "Promise me Blake!" The look in her eyes was hard.

Blake let out a sigh and rapidly felt her sight fading. "I promise… Shizuma," she breathed out before falling unconscious.

* * *

_Why won't you just give me something to take my life? You are just extending my pain by treating me every single day; readying me for the next torturous session. _

_I ha__te to see your hurt and it is a__ doctor'__s principle__ that I treat and save a patient, not kill her._

_You see me get hurt every single day! _

_It is different! I will not allow you to take your life and I will not assist you in doing so!_

_How is it different?! __Does it not go against your principles as a doctor to watch them inflict pain on me every single day? Does it not frustrate you that I am put through the same thing over and over again only to end up in this infirmary and receive treatment that becomes worthless?_

_It does alright! Now hush! Let me do my work!_

_Why are you doing this?_

_I want to save you. Is that enough of an answer for you?_

* * *

"Shizuma you'll wake her." 

"Leave me be. I just want to make her feel more comfortable."

_There are voices by my bed… if I am in my bed._ Blake let out a groan and slowly opened her eyes. As she blinked them rapidly to get a cleared vision, two faces hovered before her. "I need water," she rasped, pushing herself up to a sitting position and letting the white sheets pool around her waist.

Miyuki took charge and poured her a glass of water from a nearby table. She handed the glass to Shizuma who pressed the glass' rim to Blake's lips, urging her to drink.

Blake gulped down about three glasses of water before her thirst was satiated. She nodded her thanks to Miyuki for towing the glasses of water to her. Blake then grabbed hold of Shizuma's hand and pressed it to her forehead both in gratitude and in apology. "Forgive me. I know that you've been worrying a lot over me," she said sincerely. She looked at Miyuki and asked, "Anything bad that happened after I passed out?"

Miyuki shook her head. "We managed to get you back to your room without attracting any attention. It was fortunate that the students were still in their classes." Miyuki's calm expression turned into a worried one. "Blake, what happened? I could not believe my eyes when I saw you and Kairos trying to beat the hell out of each other."

Blake rubbed her eyes and winced as pain flashed in her lower ribs. "We weren't fighting," she started. "Well it was fighting but it was a practice bout," she continued. "Kairos and I used to spar with each other all the time to keep in shape and to make sure that I was capable of protecting myself if needed." Blake continued to hold on to Shizuma's hand as she struggled to control her breathing to reduce the pain in her ribs. "Kairos just wanted to make sure this time since he'll be leaving me alone for a few months."

Miyuki sighed and covered her frown with her hand. "Next time if you choose to have a similar bout, please do it in one of the secluded areas of Astraea Hill," she suggested. "Shizuma and I had a hard enough time concealing this from the school authorities."

Blake nodded her head. "I will remember that Miyuki and I'm sorry again for inconveniencing you." She watched as the student president of Saint Miator walk to Shizuma and whisper something in her ear.

The Etoile listened attentively before shaking her head no. "I'll stay here for a while Miyuki," she told her friend, tightening her hold on Blake's hand. "I just want to make sure that Blake's alright." She exchanged goodbyes with her friend and watched as the other girl excused herself from Blake's room. Once the door was closed, Shizuma looked at the raven-haired girl who was now propped up against the bed's backboard. "So we are alone in your room once again."

Blake eyes narrowed at the Etoile who was inching her way to Blake's side on her bed. "What are you insinuating, Shizuma?" she asked wearily, but allowed Shizuma to get on her bed and make her way up Blake's body on all fours. "Whatever it is that you're going to do, I am not interes-" Blake was silenced once more by Shizuma's delicate finger on her lips.

"Really? Are you really not interested?" Shizuma's voice had become thick as her gaze on Blake became hotter. Her hands lightly trailed up Blake's chest and finally came to rest on the raven-haired girl's shoulders.

"You are seducing me," Blake put it bluntly. She was pinned against the headboard of her bed by Shizuma and she couldn't exactly protest in her weakened state. "I take it you're going to take advantage of me." She swallowed a lump that all of a sudden formed in her throat. "The door isn't locked you know. Anyone could just come in," she stuttered as Shizuma ran her finger across her lower lip.

"Who cares?" she said in a low and husky voice. "Everyone is probably in the cafeteria by now and who would dare come into another person's room without knocking?" This time she put two fingers on Blake's lips. "I have never gotten the chance to do this," she told Blake, taking away her fingers. Her face came closer and closer to Blake's until their lips were merely inches away from each other. "Whoever lady I woo will be his wife," she recited her lines once more in a soft voice. "But I myself yearn to be _your _lady."

"Shizuma, I-" Blake fell silent as she felt soft lips press onto hers. She was utterly shocked with what was happening. Her eyes were wide open as she stared at Shizuma's closed eyes. _Soft…_ Blake thought as her eyelids began their descent. _Her lips are so soft. _Her eyes were now closed and she felt Shizuma pull away for a second then resettle her lips against Blake's lips. It was just a simple lip lock, nothing more intimate than that. With a cascade of platinum hair above her, Blake let her eyes open when she felt Shizuma pull away.

Her eyes were bright with passion and maybe even lust as she cupped Blake's cheek with her palm. "Blake," she whispered, their lips still just a few inches away from each other. "Did you…-What?!" she cried out suddenly when Blake tossed her onto her bed. She quickly sat up on the edge of the bed to see that Blake was on her feet a few steps away from the door when the it suddenly opened.

"Ah Blake! I see you are already on your feet!" Amane said from the doorway. "Sorry to have come in, but you weren't answering after I knocked so I decided to come in," she said, looking around Blake to see that Shizuma was sitting on the bed. "Oh," she let out. "I did not know that you had company Blake. Anyway, Rokojou-san asked me to call you for supper and that there's going to be a full cast rehearsal afterwards in the garden." She noticed the fading redness on Blake's face and smiled. "I'll excuse myself for now." She bowed and closed the door leaving the two girls alone once more.

"Did I hurt you?" Blake finally asked after an awkward silence. She had her back to the Etoile as she waited for an answer. "I warned you that anyone could just come in," she said with embarrassment in her voice.

Shizuma felt her face grow hot. "I'm alright," she replied. "Just a little shaken up after being tossed like that and yes I should have listened to you." She gingerly touched her own lips. "Blake," she called, standing up and walking towards the other girl. "Did you like- I mean was it alright?" she rephrased her question only to be suddenly trapped in the circle of the tall raven-haired girl's arms.

The crimson color was back on her face again as she tried to look straight into Shizuma's eyes. "I don't know how to express what I feel about this," she stammered.

The Etoile felt the corners of her lips curve up. "They say that actions speak louder than words." She looked suggestively at the other girl then gave her a wink.

Blake blinked her storm-gray eyes at the Etoile before allowing herself to smile. Whatever Shizuma said was more than enough for her to decide upon her next act. Ever so slowly, she leaned down and softly pressed her still-warm lips against Shizuma's lips. It lasted only for a few seconds. It was all the time that they ever needed to realize that there was now someone there to remedy their loneliness.

* * *

well, here's the next chapter! i could not prolong the romance any longer so i decided to let them have their little kiss. 

Alaeri: of course i would catch the change! hehe! i'm glad that you finally satiated at least part of your want to know about Blake's past. i assure you though that an in-depth chapter will give you all the details. remember what she told Shizuma, "i won't go into the details..." hahaha! i love Shizuma's character too despite all the negative things i hear about her and i definitely enjoy writing the parts where she and Blake go all "lovey-dovey" during their alone time as they say it. till next time:)

moomoocachu: i'm glad that i am still able to amuse you at least with the thing i write. hehe

flamefire: keep reading!

soleil192: i'm glad that you did give my story a shot and that you liked it. blake is truly both an amusing and intriguing character and i hope you continue to take time to read this story. :)

Next Chapter: The general rehearsal and the long-awaited play!


	10. On Stage

_Chapter 10: On Stage_

"So what happened?"

It was the day before the play and the whole cast of Twelfth Night was putting their best in the last general rehearsal for that day. Students scurried along from one end of the stage to another, positioning the props for a particular scene or giving out refreshments for the tired actresses. Every single person in the auditorium was doing something with the exception of two girls who were sitting side by side at the far end of the building.

"What do you mean?" Blake was clad in a full-sleeved shirt, black breeches, shiny leather boots and a gold cape that was attached and hung around her shoulder by a silver chain. Her straight sable black hair was tied back in a loose and low ponytail and left ear lobe was adorned by a simple silver earring. She and her companion were waiting for their turn to go on stage while the other characters finished reciting and acting out their respective scenes.

Amane smirked at her friend beside her. For that particular scene, she wore her somewhat tattered full-sleeved shirt with one sleeve carelessly rolled up her arm and the other dangling in shreds. She wore dark maroon breeches with calf-high boots over it and held an equally tattered cape in her hands. "Don't play dumb with me Blake," she told the other girl. "I doubt that you or Shizuma would not pull something off on each other in the confines of your dormitory room."

The raven-haired girl scowled deeply at the equestrian as she felt her face flush in reaction. "That's not of your business," she muttered, smoothing her tied hair with one hand. "Would you like it if I asked about what happens to you in your room when you are alone with _her?"_

Amane shuddered and shook her head emphatically. "Good point," she replied. "I definitely wouldn't like to trade the happenings that occur in my room with you." The younger girl watched the actresses on stage for a few seconds before giving Blake a wide grin. "But seriously Blake!" she begged. "What happened? Did you proclaim your undying love for our Etoile?" She gave a yelp of mock pain when Blake punched her lightly on one arm. "Or was there something more," there was twinkle in her eye as she spoke. Amane's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Don't tell me you have already bedded her!"

"Shut up!" Blake covered her friend's mouth with her hand. "If you're going to be so insistent with your questions then I'll tell you what happened then!" Blake rubbed her eyes using the sleeve of her shirt. "She kissed me alright? She was probably going to give me another one when you interrupted," Blake pointed out with annoyance. She happened to like that particular display of affection coming from Shizuma.

"Ah! So romance finally blossoms!" Amane enthusiastically slapped the other girl's back in congratulations. "Did you enjoy it? You do realize that perhaps over a hundred girls on Astraea Hill have dreamed to receive such a kiss from the Etoile?" She laughed when the raven-haired girl shook her head vehemently. "Oh come on! You've been here for this long and you still won't acknowledge that Shizuma has numerous admirers."

"I have nothing to worry about," Blake retorted, twisting her cape into its right position around her shoulders. "Besides, I should not bother to think about what those other girls think because their Etoile has already given me her love." She gazed towards the stage and could not help but smile upon seeing the platinum-haired Etoile act with so much passion. To Amane she said, "My denial kept me from realizing my feelings for her."

Amane nodded her head in agreement. "We all have some part of us that's in denial," she shared. She smiled at Blake when she gave her a questioning look. "Liking or even loving someone entails the possibility of putting your guard down and just being whoever with that chosen person. Letting go of that denial is part of putting your guard down."

The raven-haired girl stared intently at her friend for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. "You really are such a romantic Amane!" she choked out in between bouts of laughter. "Seriously though, I find sense in what you are telling me," she added in a calmer voice. "Thanks."

Amane waved off the thanks of Blake with slightly reddened cheeks. She of course felt flattered that someone found sense in her advice; all the more that the person appreciated it despite how overly mushy it sounded. She had nothing else to say to Blake so the both of them enjoyed the comfortable silence between them as they continued to watch the events happening on stage. It was about fifteen minutes later when Blake was finally called up to the stage to present the first meeting of Duke Orsino and the disguised Viola.

Miyuki was the director despite playing a role however minor it was in the play. She stood at the center of the stage in shirt, breeches and a dark blue overcoat and a copy of the script in her hands. She ordered the stagehands to bring out the assigned props for the scene as she beckoned Blake to stand by her side. "We'll do the same thing for your scene with Shizuma," she told the taller girl. "For the last part where you send Cesario to woo Lady Olivia, we made a few changes but Shizuma will mostly be the one carrying it out," she added, nodding to the approaching Etoile.

Blake tried to a hide a smile as she watched Shizuma walk out from backstage and towards where she and Miyuki were standing. She had changed from her previous costume of a typical renaissance dress of pale yellow hues that was a little shredded at the hem of its skirts. As she was walking towards the Saint Miator student council president and the raven-haired girl in a simple full-sleeved white shirt, brown breeches and boots, she was tying her long platinum hair into a ponytail. Her chest was considerably smaller under her shirt obviously due to a special corset to make her appear more like a man.

Miyuki nodded her approval after looking both of them over and signaled for the lights and sound team up in the upper box to know their cues. "Alright you two," she started as she looked from Blake to Shizuma. "Just to make sure, I'll run you through with where you're supposed to be when you say your lines. Blake, you'll be the only one on stage then you will call for Cesario to do your bidding. Once Shizuma bows, sit down on that bench-," she pointed at a stone bench sitting under a makeshift alcove. "-and rest both of your hands on your cane between your legs." She watched as Blake stood at her first position then went to sit according to what Miyuki described to her. "As for the part when you send Cesario to Olivia's, you must hold out your hand and let Shizuma grasp it as she bows to you. She will then recite her aside after she lets go of your hand. Angle your body so that your back is seen by the audience in a slanted position and just don't move from your spot." She looked at Shizuma who was smoothing out her shirt. "Shizuma will do the rest from there."

"Perfectly understood, director," Blake told Miyuki with a nod of approval for the girl's work.

Shizuma also gave her own nod of approval to her friend and went to her position hidden behind the curtains at the side of the stage. "Shall we start then?" she called out. She watched as all the rest of the students on stage except for Blake vacate the area. The lights dimmed to near darkness as the narrator's voice sounded from the speakers located all over the auditorium.

"After the storm and acknowledging the fact that her dear brother Sebastian may be dead, Viola disguises herself as a young man and enters service in the Duke Orsino's court," Tamao the narrator recited as a lone spotlight lit to show Blake standing at the middle of the stage in a commanding but cool posture. "The Duke Orsino was a wealthy and well-known noble of Illyria who yearns for the beautiful Lady Olivia, but is not yearned for by the said lady. Here he calls for his new servant Cesario to bear his message."

As the lights once more brightened the whole stage, Blake tapped her cane on the wooden stage and called, "Cesario! Come hither my lad!" Blake watched solemnly as Shizuma strode out onto the stage and towards her. When Shizuma halted in front of her and gave a bow Blake continued, "Cesario, I have already unveiled to you my deepest feelings for the lady. Good lad! For my sake go to her doorstep and do not leave until she grants you an audience!" she sat heavily on the stone bench and made herself look love struck.

Shizuma stepped towards Blake and held her fist over her heart. "I will go my lord, but she will never admit me into her home!"

Blake shook her head and tightened her hold on the head of her cane. "Then let the lady Olivia know the passion of my love! She will take it better coming from a youth like you." She motioned for Shizuma to take a seat, but was not heeded.

Shizuma let out a loud sigh and shook her head at her lord. "I think not my lord! She cannot be so easily swayed by your words of passion that leave my mouth!"

Blake looked pleadingly at Shizuma and said, "Believe it lad! With your youthful appearance and your sweet and youthful voice, she will hear you out. Make this a success and you shall live as freely as me." Blake held out her hand to Shizuma and kept her other hand on her cane.

Shizuma bowed her head in submission and grasped the outstretched hand. "Hark! I will do my best to woo your lady!" She let go of Blake's hand and watched shortly as the other girl stood from her seat and turned her back on the audience and stood still. She then walked towards Blake and positioned herself to have their backs slightly touching each other and said with pain and longing in her voice, "Whoever lady I woo will be his wife, but I myself yearn to be his lady!" As the lights slowly dimmed, both girls took to opposite directions and disappeared from the stage.

"Great!" Miyuki said enthusiastically from her position at the front seats of the auditorium. "You did that perfectly you two!" She called out the stagehands to get ready for the next few scenes that still needed rehearsing as Blake and Shizuma came back out. Blake plopped herself down on the front of the stage with her legs dangling off its edge. "Now for the rest of the scenes just do as you have been doing like in the past rehearsals." She crooked her finger at both Shizuma and Blake to come closer. "You both know that your characters will end up together in the end right?" She watched as both girls nodded their heads. "I have a favor to ask. Blake when your character asks Viola to be his wife, I want you to kiss Shizuma."

Blake's jaw dropped. "I must have heard you wrong," she said. "Did you just say that you want me to kiss Shizuma at the end of this play?"

Miyuki nodded her head. "I know that it is unnecessary, but we believe that it would be a better ending for the audience." She carefully observed any reaction coming from Shizuma but did not see any coming from her friend. "I'll leave it to the two of you on how you will do it. Alright let's do the next scene!"

Blake remained motionless until Shizuma set her fingers on the raven-haired girl's chin and closed her open mouth. "Tell me that I was just hearing things," Blake mumbled out as she rubbed both her eyes tiredly.

"I'm afraid you heard it correctly," Shizuma pointed out without any pity in her voice. She had a feeling that Miyuki and the other student council presidents from each school would pull something off like this. "Come on, we have to clear the stage for the next scene." She dragged the girl up to her feet and towed her backstage.

* * *

"It's completely unnecessary."

Shizuma sighed and tried to soothe Blake by trailing her hand up and down the girl's forearm. It was past supper and the two of them were spending their time sitting by the fountain of the dormitory gardens. "We cannot do anything about it if Miyuki and the other student council presidents want it to be that way."

The raven-haired girl continued to grumble. "I just don't like it especially since we have to do it in public," she admitted. "Doesn't she realize that she's just going to add more fuel to the fire?" She shuffled her feet, while leaning against a tall oak tree. "It's like they want us to showcase our relationship."

"Are you ashamed of showing people that?" Shizuma asked quietly, her hand dropping to her side. Of course, she felt somewhat hurt that Blake was ashamed of their relationship. The Etoile walked a few feet away from Blake with her arms crossed over her chest and let out a long sigh. "It saddens me that you feel that way."

"Shizuma," Blake called, striding forward and gently hugging the shorter girl against her body. "I did not mean it in that way." She nuzzled the other girl's hair with her nose. "It's just that I don't want our relationship to be showcased like the relationships of celebrities. What we have," she said into the other girl's ear. "It is special and I want to keep it for myself."

Shizuma hummed out her pleasure after hearing the raven-haired girl's answer. "You are saying that you want to have me to yourself alone?" The beginnings of a smile formed on her face as she felt the familiar rumble of laughter from Blake's pressed chest against her back.

"I don't want anything or anyone in fact to get in between us," she whispered in a low and husky voice. "There's nothing wrong with my intention of wanting you for myself only." She twirled Shizuma around so that she was face to face with her. "What's wrong," she worriedly looked at the Etoile's face.

The longhaired beauty shook her head and placed her hand over Blake's heart. "I want to hear it," she told the girl with an alluring smile. Shizuma reveled at how the pace of Blake's heart quickened after just saying those words. All the girls that she had flirted with had the same reaction, but Blake was different. She knew that unlike the other girls, the reaction wasn't bounded by infatuation.

"Hear what?"

Shizuma gently laid her hand against the other student's cheek. The wind swept across the open space of the garden and carried their clothing and hair into a gentle dance. She tucked some of her platinum locks behind an ear and resumed gazing at her paramour. "I want to hear you say _it."_ She didn't want to elaborate any further.

Blake gave a small smile and positioned her hands at the small of Shizuma's back. "For an Etoile, you sure are an insecure girl," Blake pointed out. She pressed their foreheads together and closed her eyes. "I've fallen for you, alright?" The raven-haired girl could feel her face heat up as this time she burrowed her face into Shizuma's shoulder. "You took me for all I was; my insecurities, my ill beginnings and my denial. You made me fall hard for you." She took her head away from Shizuma's shoulder and looked deeply into the other girl's amber eyes. "Do you need any more convincing?"

Shizuma just smiled up at Blake upon hearing that question. She grabbed hold onto the collar of Blake's shirt and pulled the girl down inches away from her face. "You better do you best here if you want to convince me," she said with wanton laced in her voice, then pulled Blake down for a deep kiss.

Blake brought up her hand and buried it in the masses of platinum hair as she slanted her mouth against the Shizuma's lips repeatedly. She breathed in deeply as they kissed; finding that she liked the scent of the Etoile. It was just like what Amane had said that loving someone entailed putting your guard down and just letting go of yourself when you are with the person you love. Under the clear night sky and the wind gently dancing in their midst, their embracing figures seemingly melded into a single entity.

* * *

The endless murmuring of the students reverberated in the full auditorium. It was long expected that the turnout of students would be this great. From the stage, it seemed like an endless wave of black, white and beige-red and this truly was testing Duke Orsino's actress. Blake nervously paced in a small corner backstage as Miyuki, Shion and Chikaru gave last minute reminders and pepped all the students involved in the play a few feet away. As the huddle of students dispersed to reveal the three student council presidents and the Etoile, Blake drew attention to herself by noisily thudding her back against the wall and letting out a frustrated sigh.

A worried looking Shizuma clad in her costume of a storm-tattered dress walked over to the raven-haired girl. "What's wrong?" she smiled up at Blake when the girl stopped pacing. "I thought I was able to rid you of all that pent-up nervousness last night." She reached out and straightened the other girl's cape.

"It's nothing," she shrugged, letting out a long breath. Blake put up her hands in defense when Shizuma narrowed her eyes at her. "It's just my first time to perform in front of such a big audience," she admitted, letting the Etoile get hold of her hands. "There's also the fact that acting was never a forte of mine."

Shizuma let out a chuckle and proceeded to give the tall girl a quick hug of assurance. "You'll be fine," she told Blake with firmness in her voice. "All the rehearsals and the one-on-one practices that you went through will definitely pull you through this play."

The sound of hands clapping loudly together made them look to see Miyuki signaling everyone to take their places. "Everyone please go to your positions and for those students who are to appear in the first scene, please go to your places." Miyuki caught Shizuma's eyes and motioned for her to get on the curtained stage.

Shizuma nodded her head to the president before turning to Blake with a smile on her face. "Looks like I have to get ready. Don't be nervous! Just do it like how we did it in rehearsals and imagine that there's no audience there!" She fluttered her fingers at Blake before turning on her heel and disappearing into the darkness of the stage.

Blake watched as Amane too gave her a quick wave before following Shizuma. She had quite a long wait to do since her first appearance would be a few scenes later. For now, all she could do was get a grip on her nerves and wait patiently until she was needed on stage. Blake listened as she heard the almost silent sound of the curtains being drawn and the sound of Tamao's voice echoing across the auditorium.

"On a ship tossed about the perilous waves of the sea, a brother and a sister clung to each other, praying that the other would not lose their hold and be lost to the dark depths of the ocean. The winds mercilessly pounded on the voyager's ship," Tamao narrated as sounds of harsh winds and crashing waves played in the background. A loud thunderbolt blasted through the auditorium's sound systems followed by the dull snapping of wood. A woman's scream tore through the air. "Her cry was drowned out by the endless downpour of rain as she watched their once noble ship break apart before her eyes." A long pause. "Then morning came."

The stage brightened as Shizuma and a mustached Remon both in storm-ravaged clothes staggered out from backstage. As soon as the students caught sight of the Etoile, they emitted coos and sighs at the beauty of their leader. Shizuma stumbled forward and looked far across the audience. "What country is this, my friend?"

The mustached Remon took her soaked hat and wrung it in her hands to get rid of the water. "We stand on Illyria soil, Lady," she replied to the older girl as she watched sailor clad students stumble onto the stage.

Shizuma bowed her head down and asked softly, "What be it that I am here in Illyria? My brother… he is in heaven," she looked up hopefully as the spotlight focused on her. "Perhaps he has not drowned. What think you, captain?" she turned to look at Remon.

The green-haired girl shook her head mournfully. "It is chance that you yourself were saved."

The Etoile dropped to her knees and buried her face into her hands. "Oh my poor brother! Sebastian!" she cried out with sorrow in her voice.

Remon walked to the kneeling form of the Etoile and tenderly placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Fear not milady! After our ship split, I saw Sebastian bind himself to a strong broken part of the mast," she smiled reassuringly at Shizuma when she looked up. "I saw him holding on for as long as I could see him in the sea."

Shizuma straightened and sat on her calves. "For saying so, then there is hope. Do you know this country?" she asked the captain as she looked over the survivors of their ship.

"Aye madam. I was born and bred not three hours away from this coast."

"And who governs this place?"

Remon helped carry a wounded sailor and set her onto the hard wooden stage. "That would be the Duke Orsino."

"Orsino!" Shizuma exclaimed, putting her hand on her chin. "I have heard his name from my father's lips. I knew that he was a bachelor then."

Remon nodded. "He is until now, Lady Viola. Although a month ago, he sought the hand of the Lady Olivia. I hear that she is sought for by numerous men."

"Captain," Shizuma called as she got to her feet. "I ask you to conceal my identity and present me as a page in the Duke Orsino's court. To this time, I will commit to serve in his court as a lowly page."

Remon bowed to Shizuma and led her across the stage. "I will be mute and do what you wish. Let us be on our way then." The lights on stage dimmed as Shizuma and Remon exited. Tamao's voice came back on and continued to narrate for the next few scenes.

* * *

"You did well."

Blake wiped her brow and smiled at the flamboyantly dressed Chikaru. She had just come from performing her first two scenes with Shizuma. She had just sent Cesario to bring her jeweled ring to Olivia to further convince her of Duke Orsino's undying love for the lady. They had received a generous applause from the students after they both exited the stage. Right now, she was keeping Chikaru company as she was getting ready to do her scene of receiving the disguised Viola who bears the message and ring of her master. "I'm just glad that it went by really quickly." Her smile wavered when she remembered that she still had a more scenes to do later on in the play.

Chikaru giggled as she patted Blake's back. "You'll do alright. It's only a few more scenes for you." She spotted a student signaling for her to take her position. "Alright, I'll talk to you later," she smiled cheerfully at the raven-haired girl. She walked out onto the stage with an air of importance with servant-garbed students flanking her sides.

Blake watched with interest in her eyes as she watched the veteran actress do her work from backstage. The Lulim president was clad in an off-shoulder gown that swept across the floor as she walked. For today though instead of her usual two bows, she wore a single one at the back of her head.

Lady Olivia arranged her skirts as she sat on a stone bench at the middle of the stage. She looked on with flirtatious eyes as a servant led the shirt and breech clad Shizuma towards her. "Close the garden gate behind you and leave us be," she ordered and sweetly smiled at the Etoile. "Give me your hand, sir. What is your name?"

"Cesario is your servant's name, princess." Shizuma replied with respect in her voice.

"My servant?" Chikaru raised her finely shaped eyebrows. "You are the Duke Orsino's servant."

Shizuma knelt on the floor with her head bowed down. "And he is yours. Your servant's servant is your servant, milady."

Chikaru flapped her hand and turned to face the audience. "I think not of him!" the president exclaimed. Oh! By your leave, I pray that you never speak again of him." Her lips curled up in a smile. "I would rather that you undertake your own love than hear anything else," she reached out, grabbed hold of Shizuma's forearm and forced her to sit on the vacant seat on the bench beside her.

Shizuma let shock show on her face as she struggled to get away. "Dear lady!"

Chikaru laced her arm securely into Shizuma's. "I did send a ring after you when you were last here. What might you think?" she asked hopefully.

"I pity you," came the blunt reply from the platinum-haired girl.

"That's a degree of love!" Chikaru cried out happily.

Shizuma scowled and tried to pry the other girl's arm off. "It is not a degree of love for we often pity our own enemies." She stood up only to have Chikaru tighten her hold.

"Stay! I pray thee that you tell me what you think of me!"

Shizuma sighed and replied, "Only that you do think you are not what you are."

"If you think so then I think the same way of you"

Shizuma's scowl deepened as she finally pried the lady's hand off her arm. "Then you think right, milady; I am not what I am." She turned away and proceeded to walk a few feet away.

"I think you were as I would have you be!" Chikaru cried, getting to her feet and running towards Shizuma with her skirts fisted in her hands.

"Would it be better than I am now?" Shizuma retorted. "Adieu my dear madam! Never more will I bring my master's tears to you anymore." She bowed stiffly and strode off the stage as Chikaru gazed at her retreating back.

"Yet come again! For perhaps you may move my heart to like his love!" Once again, the stage lights dimmed as the narrator's voice blared on the speakers once more. Chikaru followed the small light coming from backstage and bumped into a smiling Amane and Blake. "Ara! Why the wide smiles on your faces?" she asked jokingly. "I would think that Blake here would be jealous that I shamelessly flirted with the Etoile right in front of her own eyes!"

Blake shook her head vigorously. "Why would I be jealous?" she demanded. "It is just acting after all!"

Amane nodded her head and smirked at her friend. "I really believe it would have been better to watch if Shizuma had played Lady Olivia and you were Cesario in this scene!" She cocked her head to the side. "Shizuma would have done a brilliant job flirting with you and you of course would have done a great job being flustered." Amane jumped back and avoided an elbow aimed at her ribs. "Well who's being defensive here?" Amane laughed before taking her leave and going on stage for her own scene."

"Why does she keep teasing me?" Blake muttered under her breath, feeling her cheeks heat up in reaction.

* * *

Amane looked annoyed as she watched Kizuna clad in a jester outfit jump around her on stage. "Leave me. You are but a foolish fellow who has mistaken me for another."

"Then I do not know you, nor I am not sent to you by my lady, nor your name is not Master Cesario, nor this is not my nose neither.Nothing that is so is so!" Kizuna exclaimed with sarcasm in her voice.

"I pray thee then that you vent your folly somewhere else then! You know not who I am!" Amane let out exasperated just as Kaname and Yaya entered as Sir Toby and Sir Andrew.

Yaya, whose long brown hair was tied in a tight bun, smirked as she gestured at Amane. "So we meet again! The lad that dares to take the hand of the Lady Olivia from me!" She strode over to Amane and slapped the girl.

"Are you mad?" Amane demanded as she unsheathed her dagger that hung on her waist.

"Hold lad!" Kaname shouted as she grabbed hold of Amane's arm.

"Nay let him be!" Yaya shouted. "Let me take him some place and have my action of battery against him for taking my prize!" She unsheathed her sword and pointed it at Amane threateningly. "Take up your sword!" she shouted.

"Let go of thy hand, sir," Amane growled at Kaname before unsheathing her own sword. "I will be free from you!" He pointed his sword at Kaname who developed an angry look on her face.

"Then I will have an ounce of blood from you too!" Kaname shouted as she drew her own sword.

"Hold Toby!" Chikaru's voice called out as she came running onto the stage. "On thy life, I charge thee to hold!" she ordered with panic in her voice.

Kaname dutifully lowered her weapon. "Aye lass."

To Yaya Chikaru said, "Away with you, you wretch!" She walked to Amane and smiled at her. "Be not afraid dear Cesario!" She glared a dismissive look at Kaname and Yaya before focusing her full attention on Sebastian. "Come with me to my house, dear sir and let me explain to you the foolish pranks of those ruffians and how it was botched up. Perhaps it would make you smile upon knowing this."

Amane looked over to the audience and rubbed her eyes. "Be this a dream? Perhaps I am still asleep and dreaming!" She put a hand on her forehead and looked up to the ceiling. "Or perhaps I am going mad!"

"Nay! Come with me!" Chikaru insisted as she grabbed hold of Amane's hand.

"Aye milady, I will come with you."

Chikaru smiled up at Amane as the lights dimmed once more. "Oh say so and so be it!" They both disappeared from the stage through a small opening at the back before Amane almost immediately reappeared from the left side of the stage by herself.

She slowly walked towards the middle of the stage with a distant look on her face. "The sweet air and the glorious sun," Amane murmured. "Where is my comrade Antonio? The town talks that he has been ranging all over town in search for me." Her eyes widened as she turned her head to see the approach of Chikaru and a fifth year student in the long flowing robes of a priest. "The lady comes."

Chikaru stepped closer to Amane and pressed a gentle hand above the heart of the other girl. "If you mean well, you will go with me and this holy man," she said with passion. The suggestion issued a collective gasp from the student audience while a few others squealed in delight. "Before him," Chikaru gestured at the priest. "And underneath that consecrated roof, you will assure me of your faith. What say you?"

Amane responded by offering her arm to the other girl. "I'll follow this good man, and go with you," she replied. "I have sworn the truth and I shall remain true to you."

Chikaru looked at the father after resting her hand on Amane's forearm. "Then lead on good father!" she told the priest. "May the heavens so shine that they may fairly note this act of mine!" The trio of girls exited to the right of the stage just as Shizuma, Blake and another student in servant attire walked out from the left wing. Kizuna still garbed in her jester attire, walked out from the back of the stage to receive the other trio of girls.

Blake straightened her shoulders and used a powerful stride to meet with Kizuna at the middle of the stage. "Do you serve the Lady Olivia?" Blake inquired as Shizuma still disguised as a boy stood at her side attentively.

Kizuna cocked her head to the side and twirled around. "Aye sir!" she replied cheerfully. "I am one of her attendants." She skipped in place to further solidify her role as Lady Olivia's fool.

"I remember you, good fellow," Blake told Kizuna while patting the shorter girl on the shoulder. "Hear me now and do not tarry. Tell you lady that I seek to have an audience with her."

Kizuna nodded her head and playfully bowed at the intimidating figure before her. "I will go sir!" The young girl skipped off the stage just as Miyuki and two armored students flanked at her sides came on stage.

"My lord!" one of the soldiers greeted. "This is the man that has done your nephew wrong a time ago. We have finally apprehended him and brought him forward to your presence." The soldier roughly pushed Miyuki forward.

Shizuma's eyes widened at the sight and stood on her tiptoe to whisper in Blake's ear. "My lord, this is the man I told you about who rescued me from the knight and the squire," Shizuma remarked. "He did me kindness, but spoke strange speech to me. I know not what he meant by it."

Miyuki gave a low bow to Blake and said, "Orsino, noble sir, that boy at your side I redeemed!" Miyuki exclaimed. "I gave him back his life. For his sake, I drew my sword to defend him but I asked that he return the purse I gave him not a half hour ago, which he denied doing!"

Shizuma looked appalled. "How can this be?"

"When did this lad come to town?" Blake asked.

Miyuki responded, "Today and three months past that he was with me both day and night."

Blake opened her mouth as if to ask another question when Chikaru walked out onto the stage. "Here comes the countess and it's as if heaven walks on earth," she sighed in longing. To Miyuki she said, "Believe me dear sir, this lad has tended upon me for three months so you must have erred."

Chikaru finally stepped into league with Blake, Shizuma and Miyuki. She looked disappointedly at Shizuma and said, "Cesario, you did not keep your promise with me!"

Shizuma took a step back in shock. "Madam?"

Blake took that cue and gave an elegant bow to Chikaru. "Gracious Olivia," she greeted, looking up to meet the eyes of Chikaru.

Chikaru narrowed her eyes at the other girl's company. "What do you say about this, Cesario?"

Shizuma gulped as she remained at her master's side. "My lord would speak to you and my duty hushes me," she explained hurriedly.

"If it be to the old tune, my lord, it is as fat to mine ear as howling after music," Chikaru sneered at Blake and reserved her smiles for the platinum-haired page.

Blake forced out a smile. "Still so cruel, I see."

Chikaru gave a fake sweet smile of her own. "Constantly with you, my lord."

"You uncivil lady. What shall I do? Why should I not kill what I love?" Blake demanded hotly from Chikaru. She put a fist to her heart and looked hard at the other girl. "But it is clear to the eye that my love cannot be given back." She turned to Shizuma and motioned for her to follow. "Come boy, we will take our leave and I will sacrifice this love."

Chikaru quickly took a step forward and grabbed hold of Shizuma's shirt. "Where are you going, Cesario?"

Shizuma pulled away from the girl's hold. "After him," she pointed at her lord. "I am loyal to my lord for he has been kind to me. I will love and serve him more than my own wife," she told the girl without any pity.

The Lulim president expressed pain in her pretty face. "How am I deceived!"

"Deceived?" Shizuma asked incredulously. "Who deceives you? Who does do you wrong?"

"Have you forgotten already?" Chikaru asked in confusion. "Let us call forth the priest!" she waved her hand in the air to signal for the priest to be fetched.

Blake turned impatiently to look at her page. "Cesario come away!" she ordered hotly.

As Shizuma turned to do her master's bidding, Chikaru once again reached out and grabbed hold of Shizuma. "Cesario, my husband, stay!" The audience balked at the turn out of the play as they watched their Etoile act beautifully in front of them.

"Husband?" Blake choked out more in anger than in confusion. "What is the meaning of this, lad?" she demanded angrily.

"He is my husband, Duke," Chikaru insisted. "He cannot deny it."

Shizuma looked at her lord with panic stricken on her face. "No my lord! Not I!"

"It is fear that makes you deny our love," Chikaru pointed out and tried to get closer to Shizuma. "Ah here is the father! Father I charge thee to reveal what has just passed between this youth and me," she told the student disguised as a priest.

The priest wrung his hands together. "A contract of eternal bond of love," he answered. "And from what I know, it has been a mere two hours since that time."

Blake made herself look angrier but put a sad glint in her eyes as she talked to Shizuma. "Oh you disloyal lad! Farewell and take her, but never show yourself to me again!" Blake shouted at her one-time servant and proceeded to walk away.

Shizuma ran after her lord with a distressed look. "My lord, I do protest!" she insisted.

"There he is!" An angry looking Yaya Nanto strode out onto the stage with her unsheathed blade in her hand. "My lady send for a surgeon for Sir Toby!"

"What is the matter?" Chikaru questioned.

"That man," Yaya pointed her sword at Shizuma. "Struck me on the head and has also given Sir Toby a bloody cut on his flesh."

"Who has done this, Sir Andrew?" Chikaru asked in confusion.

Yaya exclaimed exasperated, "That Count's gentleman, the one named Cesario! We took him for a coward but he is truly the devil's incarnate." Yaya advanced forward menacingly with the sword in her hand.

Blake stood and blocked the path of Yaya. "You say that Cesario has done this?"

"That he is!"

Shizuma shook her head. "Why do you speak to me? I never hurt you. You drew your sword upon me without cause but I did not raise a hand against you!" the platinum-haired girl explained to all the people around her.

Just then, Kaname came on the stage with Kizuna. "Hark! Here is Sir Toby with the fool!" Yaya barked. "You shall hear the truth from him!"

"How are you now, injured sir?" Blake asked noting the white bandage wrapped around her chest.

Kaname glared at Blake then glared at Shizuma. "That man caused this injury to me!" she said angrily. "Fool!" Kaname shouted at Kizuna. "Where be that surgeon?" she demanded crossly.

"He is drunk, sir!"

Kaname glowered at all the people present on stage. "Then he is a rogue and I hate drunken rogues!" She lurched forward as if in pain.

"Away with him! Get him to bed!" Chikaru ordered as all the main characters on stage converged.

Amane then appeared from the back of the stage. "Forgive me, my lady," Amane started as all the characters of the play turned to gawk at the appearance of the girl. "I am the one who hurt your kinsmen and I seek forgiveness especially since we have just made our vows to each other not long ago."

Blake stepped forward and exclaimed to the audience, "One face, one voice, the same habits but two persons!" She looked from Shizuma to Amane repeatedly, completely bewildered.

The equestrian walked over to Miyuki and clapped the girl on the back. "Antonio! I have looked for you for many hours and the time has tortured me so!" She became confused at the weird look that Miyuki was giving her.

"Have you made a division of yourself?" Miyuki inquired as she too began looking from Shizuma to Amane. "Which of you is Sebastian?"

Amane's eyebrows furrowed. "Do I not stand here before you? I never had a brother but I did have a sister whom the waves devoured not long ago." She stepped forward and looked closely at the Etoile in observation. "What kin are you to me? What is your name?"

Shizuma shook her head and also gave Amane the same kind of tedious observation. "My father's name was Sebastian and so too did my brother have that name. He is now though in a watery tomb," she explained.

Amane's eyes softened. "Were you a woman, I should my tears let fall upon your cheek, and say, 'Thrice welcome, drowned Viola!'" She turned to Olivia and said, "So comes it, lady, you have been mistook. You would have been married to a maiden."

Blake stepped towards Shizuma and put a hand on the girl's cheek. "Boy, thou hast said to me a thousand times you never should love woman like to me."

Shizuma smiled up at her lord and replied, "And all those sayings will I over swear."

At that moment, the audience completely composed of the students from the different schools began to whisper at each other in awe and admiration for their sempais. It was clear to them that the play was about to come to its end. They watched as Amane held Chikaru close and the rest of the cast watched as Blake pulled the still disguised Shizuma into her arms.

The raven-haired girl forced herself to smile despite knowing what was to come next. "Your master quits you; and for your service done him. And since you called me master for so long, here is my hand you shall from this time be your master's mistress."

Chikaru smiled up into Amane's face. "She is your sister indeed, dear husband."

"Aye," she replied. "And I am glad that we are reunited. _Oh boy! _Amane thought to herself. _Here comes the moment of truth. I hope Blake has enough n__erve to just get this over with!_

Blake swallowed hard as she gathered Shizuma in her arms and proceeded to lower her lips very slowly onto the waiting lips below her. She tried not to look out over to the audience as they all began to gasp and squeal at what was to come next. _Why does it have to be this way?_ Blake asked herself in disdain as her lips were only a mere few centimeters away from pressing fully onto Shizuma's lips. Just as she shut her eyes to do the act, she felt Shizuma pull away. Blake's eyes snapped open only to find that her surroundings were completely dark. A few lights turned on and showed that the curtain had already dropped.

Miyuki walked to Blake's side and patted her on the shoulder. "I realized of course that showing that kind of public display of affection would create a lot of chaos," she smirked at the open-mouthed Blake. "I made a last minute change to the script and told the students at the lights and sounds box to dim the lights to complete darkness just when you were about to kiss Shizuma." The president of Saint Miator grinned as Blake finally closed her mouth then opened it once more to release a stream of curses. "Now stop cursing! They're going to raise the curtain for our curtain call!" She called for all cast to take their places on stage just as the curtain began its slow journey upward.

A thunderous standing ovation awaited them as they all took a bow and thanked the students for watching and supporting the production. Each of them waited patiently as Tamao's voice sounded via the speakers and introduced the cast and their roles in the play. When it got to Shizuma and Blake, a loud voice from the audience shouted, "Did you really kiss?"

Blake's face turned a deep tomato red as the rest of the student population demanded to know if there was really indeed a kiss. A few others were already putting forward that they wanted to see the kiss at that very moment since their view of the kiss was abruptly cut off.

"Ara, we cannot reveal if there was indeed anything that happened! Actors do have their own secre-" Tamao stuttered at the sudden sight before her. The Etoile had stood on her tiptoes and gave the blushing Blake a peck on the corner of Blake's lips much to the delight of the audience.

Shizuma laced her fingers through the raven-haired girl's hand and looked at the now-rowdy audience. "That's the only show that I am entitled to give you," she said sweetly. "The more serious things are reserved only for me and Blake."

With that comment, the students went into an uproar as the students in charge of technical immediately made the curtains go down to protect the cast. Amane and her other colleagues chuckled at each other as they watched Shizuma try to soothe a very flustered Blake. They watched in interest as the Etoile took Blake to one side of the stage and cupped the girl's face in her hands.

"You did a wonderful job, you know."

Blake nodded her head. "I suppose there aren't any other activities that require coercing me to participate in them?" She was weary from all the acting she had done that day and from all the intensive rehearsals that they had.

Shizuma tilted her head upward to look deeply into Blake's eyes. "The only other activities that you need to participate in revolve around spending your time with me." She buried her head into Blake's shoulder and sighed as she felt Blake's arm circle her waist. "Don't you wish that we too would also have the same ending as Duke Orsino and Viola?"

Blake smiled and rubbed slow circles on the small of Shizuma's back. "We're on our way there," she murmured. "I'm just in no hurry to get to that ending."

* * *

Update at last! Well i must admit, i had a hard time writing this chapter. I knew of course that writing this chapter would give me the mot difficulty. i only picked out the most important scenes from twelfth night so that it wouldn't be too long. As for the script, i had an old copy of my class's script for twelfth night so i incorporated it in this chapter.

Alaeri: Not too much alone time between Blake and Shizuma in this chapter although i assure you that the next 2 chapters will be quite interesting.

Moomoocachu: were you waiting for them to kiss? i'm sorry that it took so long! hahaha!

flamefire: hehe! glad that you loved the chapter. your "wooting" pretty much told me so. haha!

vampknight364: oh you reviewed quite a long time ago. haha! you disappeared for quite some time but i'm glad that you've enjoyed the story so far.

loorlover: sorry for the long wait! thanks though for liking this story!

soleil192: you liked the fight scene? well honestly when i reread it, i thought it was a bit messy. hehe. i think that i wrote better fight scenes a few years back. i lack practice now these days so i'm trying to regain my old skill.

DonnaUotani: Glad that you like this so far! Amane has always been one of my other favorite characters from this series. I tried to make her have a more obvious sense of humor though since she was mostly serious in the anime.

next chapter: plans for the summer trip to the beach with the Astraea Hill students and the trip itself.


	11. Summer's Fire

_Chapter 11: __Summer's Fire_

An E-mail to Kairos dated on the 23rd of December….

_Hello Kairos!_

_How have you been? I have heard that the blistering cold over there in New York __hasn't__ been doing you any good. __You've__ always been one who do__es not thrive well in the cold. Have you received my package yet? I sent it about two weeks ago so that you would receive it in time for Christmas. The gift is from Shizuma and me by the way. I know __you're__ probably snickering from what I just said. _

_By the way, the play went pretty well. Fortunately, your prediction of me completely freezing in the middle of the stage __didn't__ come true. __Your other prediction did come true though. Shizuma did pull of something in the end to embarrass me. __I'd__ rather not say if you're wondering what it was she did. Perhaps when we see each other again, __I'll__ have an in depth report ready for you. __It's__ been snowing hard for the past two weeks and I realized that the snowfall over here in Japan is actually quite breathtaking. My friend Amane brought me over to the lake to check if it had frozen over. She told me that if it __was__a __cold enough winter, the lake would freeze and allow students to ice skate. Unfortunately__, when we checked__ the ice was quite soft. I was disappointed of course! __I've__ always wanted to try to ice skate! Anyway, I also used the roll of restaurant coupons you gave me some time ago. I treated out quite a few friends for dinner a few nights ago. I had meant to bring only Shizuma but then Amane got wind of it then the group just grew from there. If I remember correctly, it was __me__, Shizuma, Amane, Miyuki, Kaname, Momomi, Chikaru and Shion. __It's__ quite interesting that I had student leaders as my company, but it's understandable since all of them are friends among themselves.__ Oh and there was also the fact that they're not as restricted to go out of the school's limits as compared to ordinary students.__ We created quite a ruckus in the sushi bar. I did not take it seriously when you said it was an all-you-can-eat place! You should have seen Amane and Kaname have an eating contest on who could eat the most __sushi in a minute. Well, Kaname won since Amane had already eaten quite a lot when she proposed the contest. Then there was the incident when I decided to have a bottle of sake. Shizuma let out that Miyuki had never __drank__ alcohol and you probably can tell how it ended up. Shizuma, Chikaru and I had to usher five tipsy girls back to the dor__mitories without __getting__ caught. Kaname was the least tipsy compared to Miyuki, Amane and Momomi so she took it upon herself to give a slurring Momomi a piggyback ride the rest of the way. When I asked her why she seemed to sober up so quickly after taking in such an amount of alcohol, she just grinned at me and said that she __was __rather experienced. I did not bother to ask about her other alcoholic exploits although they probably __w__ouldn'__t__ be as bad as mine! _

_It is quite late as I continue to make this message for you. __It'__s__ around one in the morning__ the last time I checked. Oh! I heard that your youngest sister just graduated from one of those fashion schools in New York.__ How is she doing? You only introduced her to me a year ago when we made a quick stopover in New York before heading off to Switzerland. I have a feeling __she's__ going to rise above the ranks as the next Giorgio Armani or Monique __Lhuiller__. Well, I had better get to bed soon. __There's__ going to be a special event tomorrow to celebrate Christmas eve. __Have__ a Merry Christmas alright Kairos? __And__ try not to go off partying until the wee hours of morning. Hope to hear from you soon!_

_Blake_

* * *

E-mail Reply from Kairos dated January 4… 

_Hey Blake!_

_Sorry if I __haven't__ been able to reply immediately after you sent your first e-mail. Will you believe it if I say that the Lionheart organization branch here in New York has some really screwed up paperwork? I thought __I'd__ just be here to fix like their programs and schedules for __all their planned activities__ this year, but they also slapped accounting and finance work on me! __I'm__ not an accountant or a financial manager, but they still chose to make me do their work. __It's__ as if I have choice anyway. __So ever since I arrived here in New York, __I've__ been practically buried in paperwork._

_I got tired of living in the dormitories of the organization so I decided to crash at my sister's place for the next few months. She says hi and expects you to come over and visit as soon as you graduate. Funny thing is __we've__ both become recluses in the past few months. __She's__ cooped up in her studio making her own line of clothing while I'm working for the organization. We only get to see each other whenever we have to go out and have dinner.__ The only other interesting thing that has happened here is that I bought my sister a dog. Since she works at home and __doesn't__ live with anyone, I decided to get her a dog to keep her company. I got this beautiful husky puppy from the animal shelter. Check out my sister'__s website for the pictures! _

_I __haven't__ been working every single day if that__'s__ what you're thinking. I did go to a few parties for Christmas and New Year__ although they were mostly parties set up by my sister's friends. The organization had big but simple dinner, but I only stayed for an hour or so. You would have left too if you were cooped up with a bunch of psychologists, __engineers and__ inspirational public speakers. I swear they were all bending my ear about the Mozart effect, some new physics theory and turning to God for a better life. I ended up going home, popped a bottle of wine and shared the rest of the evening with Beau, t__he husky puppy until my sister got home. __Have you been keeping in shape? I want a rematch as soon as we see each other again! I doubt though that __you'll__ find any sparri__ng partner from Astraea Hill who__ could match you__r__ level.__ How are you and Shizuma doing? __Going strong?__ Speaking of which, I got the gift from the two of you. Tell Shizuma that I said thank you. I have always wanted a traditional Japanese man's outfit. __Right now, __it's__ with Jez in her studio. App__arently, it has__ become a source of inspiration for her new line. __Anyway, I have to drive over to the organization in a few minutes. Some of the board members have called some important meeting that needs me in attendance. Keep in touch and take care you yourself!_

_Kairos_

* * *

Email sent to Kairos around mid-May… 

_Kairos,_

_I know __you've__ probably been wondering about me for the past few months. __It's__ been really hectic academically for me. You should have told me that Saint Miator students are required to take two classes of French! I do know how to read and speak __some __basic French__ care of the resident Frenchman intern back in Switzerland__, but the students here have been learning it even in their junior high days. __Fortunately, Shizuma is considered the best French student and she has been teaching me although perhaps half of the time she uses it up to flirt with me.__ I am steadily improving my grasp on the language. _

_I did find a sparring partner despite your doubt. Surprisingly Kaname Kenjou, she's one of the students council aides of Saint Spica Academy__ if you're getting confused__, pretty much grew up in a taekwondo training dojo before she started living in the dormitories in Astraea hill. She told me that her uncle was one of the students of the first p__ractitioners who brought the martial arts to Japan so she ended up studying under him when he opened his own training facility. __It was actually by accident that I found out that she was skilled in Taekwondo. Astraea hill does not really have foreign sports lined up in their curriculum except for tennis. There are no __football__ fields or basketball courts to much of my dismay__ so I just improvised one day. I went out to one of the fields at the back of the Saint__ Miator building with my foot__ball and just kicked it against the building repeatedly.__ Well I kicked it particularly hard with quite a spin on it too so it bounced off the wall with a lot of strength still in it. I __didn't__ think that anyone would be walking around in that area, but when I tracked where the ball was going to land it was heading straight for two students who were strolling along the area. One of them dropped into an L stance and hit the ball back with a strong reverse roundhouse kick. It was incredible, Kairos! Her form was perfect and the kick was so fluid. __Well, anyway it turned out to be Kaname who kicked the ball back at me and __that's__ how I found a sparring partner. We use the multi-purpose dojo to spar ever two da__ys or so __since__ she is quite busy__ being part of the student council of her school. __She__ is a second-__degree black belt! She complains though that for a person who does not hold any degree or even a belt, __I'm__ pretty good. You never let me stick to one particular type of martial arts anyway and you said yourself that the rankings and belts don't mean much as long as you know how to fight and defend yourself. __Shizuma sometimes comes to watch Kaname and I spar against each other. Most of the time she only comes to pick me up at the end of the sparring session to tow me away for a date. __On some days, it would be Shizuma and Momomi standing side by side, as they waited for us to finish. __Aside from sparring with Kaname, she has also offered to teach me how to play tennis and __to__ much of her delight, I suck at it. __She's__ been a good sport about it though because she still continues to teach me despite embarrassing myself in front of numerous student spectators. __Amane and I still go riding whenever time permits it. Her foot has completely healed and __she's__ been training hard for the past week for an upcoming tournament. _

_Summer is coming and from what __I've__ been hearing, the students usually all go together to __a __beach resort before they all separate for their own summer vacations.__ Miyuki told me that the resort is owned by a former student of Saint Miator __who__ allows the Astraea Hill administration to send their stud__ents over for a rewarding and relaxing trip after __going through a year of stress. Usually there are only a few dozen students who take the trip. This year though, around three busses have been hired to bring us to the beach resort. __I said us because __I've__ been included in the list. I actually refused to go when I found out that Shizuma was not going on the trip. She and Miyuki ended up agreeing that they would put their work momentarily on hold and decided to invite the other student councils of each school to come along on the trip too. __We're__ due to leave for the beach in two weeks. Oh, I have to cut this short. __I'm__ being called to dinner. __I'll__ send you another e-mail as soon as I can!_

_Blake_

* * *

An e-mail from Kairos dated May 27… 

_Blake,_

_I just read your e-mail regarding going on that summer trip with the Astraea Hill students. It sounds like fun! I wish I __was__ in your place surrounded by all those pretty girl in swimsuits! __You should stop scowling because I was just fooling around when I said that. __Look Blake, things are heating up over here. The organization is in a particular delicate situation but we __aren't__ at all sure if the information that __we received is reliable and true. This particular matter is causing quite __an uproar__ within the organization and in all honesty, it also has me worried. You __needn't__ worry Blake since I did say that we aren't sure if the information is reliable. I do want you watch out for yourself. It __wasn't__ so long ago when we managed to botch a plan that was made to dispose of you because of your association with that scientific organization. __I may be worrying unnecessarily, but just take care of __yourself__ alright? Graduation is just around the corner __right?__I'll__ be flying over as soon as we fix this situation. _

_Kairos_

* * *

Slow moving air that entered through the open windows circulated within the confines of the Saint Miator classroom. Summer was indeed coming because the weather was steadily heating up as each day went by. The classroom was filled with Saint Miator students clad in their spring uniforms of short- sleeved green and white dresses with the exception of their foreign transfer student. Blake Saberhart was scowling in her seat due to the increase of temperature. Unlike her guardian and friend, Kairos, she absolutely loathed the heat that came with the summer season. At the start of the last week of spring, the raven-haired girl resorted to wearing her long-sleeved shirts folded up her arms and donning the thinnest of her pants. As she sat wishing that the class would end, she also wished that she could just wear her ordinary shirts to class because the fabric was considerably thinner compared to the dress shirts she wore to class. Of course, she could not do that because both teachers and students won't appreciate it if they had a student or classmate dressed like she was going on an excursion to the beach. During the summers Blake spent with Kairos and the organization, she would always wear simple shirts and knee-length shorts just to keep cool. The outfit kept her cool in the previous countries that she lived in, but she doubted that it would be as effective in Japan since it's located near the equator. The scowl on her face deepened as she felt a bead of her sweat slowly track down from her forehead and down her cheek. 

A white object suddenly thrust into Blake's sight; pulling her out of her annoyed stated. She looked to her side and saw that her platinum-haired seatmate smiling sweetly as she offered what turned out to be a contractile fan. Blake took the fan, returned the smile to her seatmate and proceeded to unfurl it and produce the artificial air that would cool her heated skin. The raven-haired girl watched in amusement as their own teacher feebly used her notes to fan herself as she alternated from writing on the blackboard and lecturing that day's lessons. Technically, the curriculum was already over for the sixth year students but the teachers had to give them advance lessons to prepare for college. Blake was not even sure if she was going to go to college.

"Feeling better?" Shizuma asked when their teacher stepped out of the classroom to address the concerns of her co-teacher. They had rarely seen each other for the past few weeks because she, Miyuki and the other student councils from each school were busy training the incoming Etoiles. The decision of who the next Etoiles would be was made when winter broke into spring. With reluctance and dismay, Amane had joined the Etoile competition with her lover Hikari and had won it easily. Now she had involved herself in the politics that she distinctly loathed, but at least she was with her Hikari as she had explained to Blake after one particular training session.

"A little bit," Blake replied, swiping her hand across her forehead. "The air I produce with this fan isn't exactly too cooling." She shrugged her shoulders and stretched her legs out. She gave Shizuma a wry grin and added, "At least your school is sensible enough to allow their students to change into a les constricting and more ventilated uniform." She felt a warm flutter inside as Shizuma winked at her.

"Alright girls!" Their teacher clapped her hands together for attention. "We just received confirmation that your summer trip will push through tomorrow. Make sure to pack your things tonight enough a two day-overnight trip." She glanced at the wall clock then began to arrange her papers on her desk. "That will be all for today then! Enjoy your trip and I will meet with you for your graduation practice!" She headed out of the door as the class continued to talk about the long awaited summer trip.

"I'm so excited! I already bought a new swimsuit just for the trip tomorrow!" one student chattered excitedly to her group of friends.

A few other girls talked eagerly on the other side of the room. "It's too bad that the whole beach resort is closed off to other customers," a girl commented sadly. "I heard that it's a popular spot for many good looking boys in the summer!"

"Why are you talking about boys?" Her friend demanded at the same time gesturing her hand at the Etoile and Blake. "Why goggle over boys when we have the likes of our Etoile-sama, Chikaru-san, Amane-san and the others?" All of them giggled giddily at the thought.

"You forgot about Blake-san!" The group of girls ginned at each other, watching as the person they spoke of got up from her chair and rolled her sleeves higher up her arms. "I wonder how she looks like in a swimsuit?" The question spurred the girls into rambunctious laughter. They shushed themselves quite forcefully as Blake, Miyuki and Shizuma walked past them and out the door. When the doors closed behind the three girls, they went back to talking about the same thing.

"So did you catch what our classmates were talking about?" Shizuma asked Blake with a hint of teasing in her voice. She, Miyuki and Blake were making their way down the stairs to the air-conditioned cafeteria for some cold refreshments.

The raven-haired girl blinked at the Etoile then shrugged her shoulders. "About the trip tomorrow I suppose," she guessed without much interest. "What else can they be talking about anyway aside from the trip?" They went around one corner and waited as a group of students exited the cafeteria before entering through the doors.

"Oh nothing," the Etoile murmured but still kept the smile on her face. She too also could not help but wonder how her companion would look like in a swimsuit. She was also quite excited for the trip since she had not been going ever since she became Etoile. As the student who held the highest position on Astraea Hill, she had a lot of work to accomplish even during the summer vacation. Even before she became the Etoile, she had always spent the summer on Astraea Hill with Miyuki.

Blake glared at her friend from across the table they decided to sit at as they sipped their iced fruit juice. "You heard something didn't you? I bet you're thinking about something naughty." Blake grimaced at the possible thoughts that Shizuma had about her. "You better not be thinking about those kinds of things!"

Miyuki chuckled lightly as she watched her best friend teased the taller and older girl. "Blake, you should know better!" she said as she gently swirled the contents of her glass. "Shizuma has always had naughty things running through her mind ever since she became a heartthrob on Astraea Hill!" She bit her lip when she felt a light kick land on her shin. "She has always been loved by the girls and she of course took advantage of that love." She received another kick to her shins before adding, "Until you came along of course."

Blake looked sober upon hearing that Shizuma did enjoy the best of her times with numerous girls before she came along. She fixed a steady gaze on Miyuki and said with a dead serious tone, "You and I have to talk privately about all these girls that Shizuma has taken advantage of." This time she was the one who received a kick on the shin from the Etoile. "What do you expect me to say?" she demanded from the other girl. "-knowing that you probably tumbled a dozen or so girls during your entire stay here." Blake gulped down the rest of her drink and stared hard at the girl seated across from her.

"Just to clear things up," Shizuma started. "First I have never _tumbled_ a dozen girls as you say it. It is literally more correct to say that I've flirted with a lot of these girls. Second, it's not just a dozen girls that I have flirted with," a glint of wickedness shone in her eyes as she said it. "And third, I have only tumbled with one girl," she admitted a little sadly.

Blake raised her eyebrows at the sudden change of mood in the Etoile. She caught Miyuki giving her a _change-the-subject_ look and immediately fumbled with her words to stop the platinum-haired girl from remembering her past. Shizuma had explained to her before about her relationship with her deceased Etoile partner and how it had literally shattered her heart. She did assure Blake in the end that her coming to the school was easing the pain in her heart. "Look, let me guess what those girls and you were thinking about back then," she suggested.

Shizuma nodded her head and leaned on her elbows on the table as she watched the other girl think hard for the answer. "The clue is that it revolves around you." The smile on her face returned when she saw the usual scowl appear on Blake's face. "I'm guessing you already know?" she asked innocently.

Blake kept scowling as she grabbed the pitcher of juice and poured herself a generous amount of the beverage. "You and those girls were thinking of how I would look like in a swimsuit. Am I right?" She hastily gulped down all of the juice then returned to scowling at the still smiling Shizuma. "Just to make sure that I don't encourage those malicious thoughts of yours in your head, I wear simple things on the beach so don't bother hoping that I'd be wearing something like a bikini."

The younger girl pouted at Blake before leading the three of them into a light-hearted laugh. "Have you received a reply from Kairos-san, Blake?" Shizuma asked.

Blake nodded her head and looked a bit worried. "Well he seems well enough to be able to joke at the start about wishing to be in my place," she started, thanking Miyuki for refilling her glass. "But then he mentioned that something worrisome was happening at the organization. I have no idea what it is they may have found out either if it is just a rumor or it is the truth. Kairos asked me to take care of myself until he arrives for graduation."

Miyuki propped her chin on her hand as she took in what her classmate said. "Perhaps it is nothing of significant importance although it may be for the best that you do heed Kairos-san's advice," she stated. "If he is worrying about the summer trip then he should not be because we will be chaperoned by Sister Hamasaka, a few of the teachers and our resident doctor."

The raven-haired girl sighed while stretching her hands towards the ceiling. "Perhaps you are right then, Miyuki," Blake relented. "This trip would not have been approved if it was not properly chaperoned and planned." The foreign transfer student looked at her watch and frowned. "It's four-thirty already! I promised Kaname that I would meet her at the tennis courts!" She pushed herself away from the table and grabbed her school bag. "I'll see the both of you later at supper!" she called and waved at the two girls as she strode towards the door and exited.

The student council president of Saint Miator and the Etoile of Astraea Hill shared a comfortable silence as they finished their juice. Miyuki finally broke the silence by asking, "Are you happy that I intervened and asked the administration to allow us to go to the summer trip?"

Shizuma smiled at her friend and laid one alabaster hand on top of Miyuki's hand. "You know me enough to figure out the answer to your question," she said with sweetly. "I heard that the administration is practically allowing all the students council members from each school to attend the summer beach trip this year. Usually they wouldn't pull a move like that, but I'm guessing the reason for making such an uncharacteristic decision revolves around our foreign transfer student."

"Well, you got that right," Miyuki told her friend. "They observed that almost all of the friends of Blake were either student leaders or a popular student in Amane's case. They figured that why should they let Blake go on a summer trip without any of her friends." She gazed solemnly at Shizuma for a few seconds before pointing out, "You know, I have never seen you this happy ever since Kaori passed away."

Shizuma looked sadly down on the table for a second before looking up with a smile on her face apparently knowing what the reason of her happiness was. "You're right, Miyuki," she said. "I thought that I was bound to wallow and drown in my own sadness and bitterness, but then she came along. She was different," she said quite dreamily. "Far more different than Kaori was. She was bold, tall, serious and adventurous as compared to Kaori being shy, sensitive, petite and gentle." She let out a long sigh. "I never thought that I would fall this hard for someone after convincing myself that I would never love another after Kaori had gone."

Miyuki nodded her head in total understanding. She had lived the pain that her dear friend went through for those two years. She tried everything to get her back on her feet but was unsuccessful. "I should do a vigil at the church each day until graduation to thank God for sending someone to free you from your cage," she told the Etoile.

"Perhaps I should also join you," Shizuma replied rather seriously. "It would probably be better if I bring a bouquet of flowers from the greenhouse as an offering every time we go to the church to show our gratitude through prayer." Her look was as serious as her voice. They stared at each other for what seemed like a full minute before bursting into laughter.

"Shizuma," Miyuki choked out as they continued to laugh. "I haven't laughed like that in years now!" She struggled to take a proper breath but continued to laugh on. "We should stop! We're getting a lot of attention." Miyuki wiped her eyes and covered her mouth with her hand, smoothing her smile away. She looked at Shizuma after regaining full control of her emotion. "We should laugh more like that. It will keep us young."

Shizuma nodded her head. "We'll have more times like these. I promise you."

* * *

"Damn! I'm bushed! Stop I can't anymore!" 

Kaname and Amane laughed loudly from the other side of the court. Kaname twirled her racket on her finger as she watched her opponent heave in heavy breaths on the opposite side of the court. "You did pretty well, Blake!"

Blake leaned down and braced her hands on her knees as she continued to breathe in heavily. She slightly raised her head up to regard her opponent and said, "I did well?" she asked incredulously. "How could you say that when I lost?"

The other girl shook her head and walked over to the net. "You don't judge the performance of a person by means of winning or losing," Kaname explained. "You did well because you managed to keep a close-scoring game with me despite playing a round with Amane first." She tipped her head over in the direction of Amane who was sitting quite comfortably on a bench set against the wire fence.

Blake finally straightened from her bent position and met Kaname at the net. "I appreciate the compliment," she reached over and shook hands with the other girl. She spotted a familiar brunette jogging towards the tennis courts. "I believe you have company." Blake looked past Kaname and confirmed that it was indeed Momomi.

Kaname turned around and first waved to the girl before motioning for her to walk into the tennis courts. "We just finished!" she told the girl when she finally stood before the two girls. "Shall we head to the locker room then?" she winked at the shorter brunette who glowed crimson. "Hey, just for your information you are the one who is having nasty thoughts!" Kaname said with a wide grin on her face. She put her arm around Momomi's shoulders and asked Blake, "Are you coming along?"

The raven-haired transfer student shook her head. "I'll stay for awhile to cool off first then I'll probably head straight to the dormitories to take a quick shower then onwards to the cafeteria for supper." She smiled at the couple as she caught a thrown towel from Amane. "I'll see you guys at supper instead or maybe we'll see each other tomorrow morning for the trip." She waved goodbye to the two girls as they walked out of the tennis courts. "How about you?" She looked at the still sitting Amane as she started to do a few stretches.

"I'll come along with you," the girl replied as she leaned back on the bench. "I don't need to cool off though since I've done that while you and Kaname played against each other." She watched on as Blake finished her cool-off exercises before standing and leading the both of them to some outdoor faucets outside the tennis courts. "You excited for the trip tomorrow?"

Blake nodded her head as she splashed her face with the running water from the faucet. "It's my first time to go on a trip with people my age," she admitted as she twisted the faucet up and greedily drank from the upturned spout of water. "It's also my first time to actually go on an overnight trip," she added, cutting the water flow off. She was just about to ask Amane if she had gone to any of the summer trips during her stay on Astraea Hill when a figure leaning against the tree a little bit down the road caught her eye. "Hey," she got Amane's attention. "You have a visitor," she gestured at the girl down the road.

Amane looked up in confusion. A smile bloomed on the girl's face when she realized who it was that was waiting for her. "Hikari!" she called out, waving her hand in the air. "Come here!" she coaxed and watched as the younger girl walked hesitantly towards them. "Hikari-chan," Amane said as she pulled the girl to her side and made her face Blake. "You haven't been introduced to Blake formally, right?"

Hikari nodded as she looked up at Blake shyly. "Good afternoon, Blake-sempai!" she greeted in a rather soft voice that resembled a squeak. Amane could not help but laugh at the feeble greeting of her young lover. "Amane-sempai!" she pouted. "You're being so mean!"

Blake stepped forward and held out her hand to the young third year student. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person," she said sincerely while taking Hikari's hand delicately into her own. "Amane was right when she said that you looked like an angel." A grin formed on her face when the younger girl blushed a deep shade of red from her comment. "I just need to hear your voice to really say that I've also heard the voice of an angel."

Amane chuckled and pulled Hikari away from Blake's hold. "I think that's enough of flirting, Blake. You have to remember that she's mine and that you have your own woman to flirt with," she reminded her friend in a joking manner. She knew anyway that Blake was just being charming so that she could bring the real Hikari out of her shell.

Blake complied to the suggestion of her friend and walked beside the couple as they made their way back to the strawberry dormitories. "I'd like to congratulate you for winning the Etoile competition," she said to Hikari with a smile on her face. "I really think that you and Amane deserve the position the most and are the most suited for it."

Hikari leaned forward to look around Amane to see Blake more and returned the smile. "Thank you, Blake-sempai! I would never be a good Etoile if Amane-sempai isn't by my side!" she pointed out. She still lacked the confidence that an Etoile was known for, but many of the student leaders had said that Hikari would develop into a beautiful Etoile with the help of Amane who already showed several of the needed characteristic an Etoile needs.

"I'm sure that you'll become a great Etoile with Amane by your side!" Blake said earnestly as they walked through the entrance of the strawberry dorms. "Well I'll go to my rooms first," she told both girls. "I need to shower." To Amane she said, "If you get to the cafeteria ahead of me please save me a seat."

Amane nodded. "I ask the same of you if you are the one who gets to the cafeteria first." With that, the couple and the raven-haired girl separated at the lobby; Amane and Hikari up the stairs to the second floor and Blake just down a hall from the lobby.

Blake arrived at the cafeteria half an hour later to find that Amane had not arrived yet. Remembering her deal with her friend, she sat on their usual table and waited as the cafeteria began to fill up. The servers had already set the dinner of steamed fish and vegetables on the table when Amane and Hikari finally arrived. Blake watched in amusement as Hikari sat with her friends from Spica while Amane hurriedly walked to the table and sat across from Blake. The raven-haired girl raised both of eyebrows at the sight of her friend. She could not help but give an evil grin at the girl and say, "I see that you have probably satiated your hunger."

The equestrian blushed a deep crimson shade as she struggled to find an excuse to give to the other girl. Of course, Blake would not take any excuse because the swollen lips and the glazed eyes were enough to give her reason not to believe otherwise. "Your food is going to get cold," Amane grumbled as she dug her utensils into her food. She kept quiet as Blake continued to tease her. "Alright already! I did chance the opportunity of having Hikari alone with me!" she growled with her mouth partially full with chewed fish.

Blake finally halted her attack on her friend and focused on polishing her plate. She was leaning back to rest for a few minutes and allow the food to digest when Miyuki stood up and clapped her hands together for attention.

"As you all probably know, the summer trip to the Azure Beach Resort will push through tomorrow," Miyuki announced and allowed the students to whisper excitedly to each other before continuing. "To the sixty students who have confirmed, please be reminded that you must pack enough of your belongings that will last you for a two-day overnight trip, which would also include your swimsuit. Lastly, please assemble at the front courtyard of Saint Miator at exactly six in the morning tomorrow. There will be three busses to bring us to the beach resort," Miyuki informed the students. "First and second years will occupy one bus, third and fourth years in another bus and the fifth and sixth years in the last bus. That will be all." The Saint Miator president resumed her seat beside Shizuma as the students discussed the trip.

"Well," Blake eyed Amane tiredly. "I think I'll go ahead back to my room and pack. I'm quite tired," she said as she fought to hold back a yawn. "The tennis matches we had really done me in." She stood up and walked through the aisles of tables and chairs. She caught Shizuma's eyes and could not help but smile when the girl gave her a flying kiss.

She exited the cafeteria and leisurely walked back to her room as she whistled a made-up tune to liven up the atmosphere of the empty halls. As she twisted the knob of her door, Blake heard the faint sound of cellphone receiving a text message. She quickly stepped into her room, closed the door behind her and reached for cellphone before plopping down on her bed. She pressed a few buttons and read the short message.

_Blake. __Will be arriving in Japan at 7:15 pm Japan time.__Heading first to Doctor Kurosawa to pick up a few things for the organization.__ I am coming over to visit at Astraea Hill the Monday after you get back from your summer trip. See you soon. __–Kairos_

It was good news, albeit a short but very concise message. Blake's mood rose because she knew that she would be seeing her friend again after almost six months of being separated. Keeping her supine position on her bed, she reached down with her arm and groped under her bed. She succeeded in grabbing hold of a box and set it on top of her stomach. She smiled when she took out its contents: a Christmas card and a small, slim digital camera with considerably high megapixels. Kairos had sent it to her as a Christmas present saying that the camera would allow her document all her precious memories during her stay on Astraea hill. "Well, I have to pack," Blake said to no one in particular as she sat up. "I'm definitely going to bring you along," she told the camera, feeling a bit childish talking to an inanimate object. "Might as well start now!" she said cheerfully as she pulled out a duffel bag from her trunk and began to fill it up. She honestly could not wait until tomorrow.

* * *

Blake watched dizzily from her seat as the students on their bus made a ruckus to entertain themselves during the two-hour long trip. She had originally planned to take a seat near the front, but was dragged by Kaname, Chikaru, Amane and Shizuma to sit with them at the back of the bus. She was going to tell them that she didn't like sitting at the back of a vehicle because she was more prone to car-sickness. Since she was sitting in the back, it was obvious that she was not able to confess. The raven-haired girl decided to just keep her mouth shut and breathe deeply to control the impending nausea from overwhelming her. 

Shizuma eyed her seatmate who sat by the window worriedly. She thought it was strange that Blake was unusually quiet throughout the first hour of the ride when she and the others knew that the girl was plainly excited for the trip. She noted the paleness on Blake's face and that her lips were tightly pressed against each other as if she was afraid that something would come out of her mouth. Shizuma smiled and then knew what was wrong with the girl. "You're carsick aren't you?" she asked the girl gently.

Blake looked surprised before nodding her head in confirmation. "I was going to tell all of you when I got to the front courtyard of the school that I'd rather sit in the front, but then Amane and the others wanted to sit in the back," she explained. "Then there was you too," she pointed out with a small smile. "You wanted to sit in the back with the rest of them so I couldn't disagree." She kneaded her forehead with her fingers. "I'm alright, really!" Blake sighed as the noise around them intensified.

Shizuma shook her head and stood up, bracing herself by holding onto the top of the seat in front of her. She called to Miyuki who was seated a few rows up ahead. "Miyuki! Did you bring your aromatic scents?"

"I have them Shizuma," she called from up the aisle. The president reached up to get a small bag from her luggage stored at the upper compartment of the bus. "What's wrong?" she asked when she got to Shizuma's side.

Shizuma put a gentle hand on Blake's shoulder and explained the situation to her best friend. "Blake's carsick," she summarized it to Miyuki. "She would have sat in the front to prevent herself from feeling this way, but then the rest of us decided to sit in the back so she decided to sit with us too."

Miyuki looked sympathetically at Blake who smiled weakly up at her. "Well I have just the thing to make you feel better for the rest of the ride," she told the nauseous looking girl. "Here," she unzipped the small bag, picked out a small corked bottle filled with a clear liquid and handed it to Blake. "Take a few deep inhalations of that every few minutes or so throughout the rest of the ride and you'll feel alright."

Blake nodded her thanks then proceeded to uncork the bottle and take a few deep breaths of the aromatic scent. Whatever it was that was in the liquid, the scent was so sharp and strong that it immediately cleared the dizziness that Blake felt. She pocketed the bottle and joined in with the merry-making that her friends had been involved in from the start of the bus ride. With a lot of reluctance, she even joined the "I never game" that Kaname, Momomi and Shion had started. Shion stated that whoever first got to admitting that she had already done whatever was admitted five times would have to do a consequence.

"Let me start!" Momomi insisted giddily as she, Kaname, Shion and Chikaru moved to the back to play the game. "I never been outside of Japan!" she informed the other players of the game cheerfully. For this particular game, the participants were Blake, Shizuma, Amane, Chikaru, Kaname, Shion and Momomi. Miyuki had politely declined when she got wind of the suggested game.

Every person in the group shook their head all except for the scowling Blake. Of course, she had been outside of Japan. She had lived in different countries before she came to Japan to study at Astraea Hill. Blake mumbled, "I guess that's one for me."

"You go next then!" Momomi suggested as she leaned back against Kaname's chest.

Blake thought for a few seconds before stating her sentence. "I never had been drunk since last year." She gave a triumphant smile as four of the Spica girls frowned and raised their hands.

"That was unfair," Kaname pointed out.

"All is fair in this game," Blake said sweetly to the Spica students. "I get to pick who's next right? Why don't you go Amane?"

"Alright!" Amane said determinedly.

The game continued for the next twenty minutes or so until they all knew that the game was about to end. Blake had a score of four, Shizuma, Kaname and Momomi had three, Amane and Shion had two and Chikaru had a score of one. The Saint Lulim president was the next person in line since she previously just had her score of one on the last round.

"Ara! Well," she said as she thought of what she was going to say. "Well in all honesty, I've run out of 'I nevers' all except for this one." She looked at all of their faces before giving her answer. "I have never been kissed." Everyone except for Blake laughed and hooted at each other as Kaname, Momomi, Amane and Shizuma all added another one to their scores. Blake looked annoyed that she had lost. Of course, she had been kissed.

"So what's the consequence?" she asked in annoyance as she watched Shion and Kaname scheme with their backs turned to them. She turned to the side to open the window wide because she was starting to feel hot.

Shion finally turned around and gave a sly smile at Blake. "Well, since Chikaru-san has admitted that she's never been kissed," she started, looking at Chikaru for emphasis. "Your consequence is to give Chikaru a kiss! Mind you we mean a real kiss!"

Blake visibly blanched at the thought. "No way! I can't kiss Chikaru!" she stammered. "She should be kissed by the person that she likes and not by someone who was dared to do it!" she reasoned out. "And besides," she added then fell silent. Her eyes flicked to the platinum-haired girl beside her and waited patiently as the other girls around them burst into laughter.

Amane wiped the tears from her eyes. "Blake has a point though so let's just tweak the consequence a bit then," she announced. "You have to kiss Shizuma then."

"No!"

"Blake!" All the girls except for Blake and Shizuma exclaimed.

Blake shook her head violently as she received glares from her friends. "Not you too, Chikaru!" Blake complained when she saw the girl nod her head in agreement to the consequence.

Chikaru chuckled. "Ara! I've always wanted to witness a kiss between the Etoile and Blake! Do us a favor and just do it since we weren't able to witness the supposed kiss between the two of you during last year's play." Everyone else chimed in with the comment and eventually smiled when Blake's shoulders drooped in defeat.

"Alright then," she finally said after gathering her wits. She settled her hands on Shizuma's shoulders and frowned at the other girl because she had a knowing smile on her face. The raven-haired girl tucked a lock of Shizuma's platinum hair behind her ear then ensued to lean forward slowly to deliver the dared kiss. Just as she was about to press her lips onto the lips of Shizuma, the bus halted and the voice of their bus driver announced that they had arrived in the resort. Blake quickly made her mind up and swiftly pecked Shizuma on the lips, grabbed hold of her seat's window ledge and pulled herself out of the open window to drop to the asphalt parking lot ground.

"Blake!" All the girls except for Shizuma shouted out the window in dismay.

"I did your dare!" Blake shouted back as she grabbed her duffel bag from the luggage compartment at the side of the bus. "You never said how long it should be anyway!" Blake slung her duffel bag on one shoulder and hurriedly walked off to the hotel's entrance. It took around fifteen minutes for all the students to get off their buses, unload their luggage and assemble at the front of the hotel entrance. During the whole fifteen minutes, Blake had already changed from her rubber shoes to her rubber slippers.

"Alright girls, you know your room assignments!" Sister Hamasaka announced in front of the students. Three other teachers and the Astraea Hill doctor stood at the sister's side and looked over the rowdy group of students. "Once all of you have settled in and changed into your swimwear, you could all head to the beach on your own accord." She nodded a dismissal to the girls and stepped aside to let them rush to their rooms to get ready.

"Well roommate," Amane said to Blake. "Let us go in search of our room." She grabbed hold of her roommate's bag and dragged her into the hotel and up the stairs. "I think our room is just down this hall! Aha!" she exclaimed upon seeing the room number on the door. "Room 211!" She unlocked the door and let Blake go in first.

Blake inhaled a sharp breath of surprise and awe upon seeing their room. It was a large room that had a bathroom, two beds, a couch, a desk with a lamp and a balcony, which overlooked the beach. "Miyuki said that a former Saint Miator student owns this establishment. She must be filthy rich to own this big a property and to rent it out for free to Astraea Hill students every summer!"

Amane laughed as she dropped her bag onto her chosen bed and proceeded to unpack her swimwear, towel and other essentials. "She is rich and she's a loyal alumna. I know that she lives and works abroad and allows someone else manage this beach resort for her." She looked at her gathered things then looked at her friend. "Why don't you go change in the bathroom first?" she suggested. She watched the girl grab a few things from her duffel bag then walk into the bathroom to get ready to go down to the beach.

It took Blake just a few minutes to get ready. When she stepped out of the bathroom, she received a disappointed look from her roommate. "What?" she demanded hotly. "Did you expect me to come out in a skimpy bikini?"

Amane shook her head and laughed at how easily her friend got annoyed. "I would have expected that you would wear at least a one piece swimsuit to the beach," she admitted. The prince of Spica took in the appearance of her roommate. Blake was wearing knee-long dark blue board shorts that had a long white stripe on each leg and a thin white sleeveless muscle shirt. The girl also had shades set on top of her head and a towel hanging on one shoulder.

Blake growled at her friend. "Well, are you going to get ready? I'm going to leave you if you continue to rant about what I choose to wear to the beach."

"Give me two minutes."

The two minutes went by pretty quickly and Amane and Blake found themselves walking on the soft white sand of the beach towards the groups of set up umbrellas and beach towels and mats set on the sand. Amane wore a similar outfit to Blake's except that instead of a shirt, she wore her one-piece blue swimsuit as the top and mid-thing length white swim shorts. Blake wore her shades as she carried her towel, a bottle of suntan lotion and her camera while walking towards the students who had already gathered on the beach.

"Let's go claim that big umbrella over there," Amane suggested as she grabbed a large beach mat and carried it over to the umbrella. With Blake's help, the two of them were able to spread the large blanket under the umbrella and set all their things on it. They sat chatting to each other for a couple of minutes when Shizuma, Chikaru, Kaname, Momomi, Shion and Miyuki walked over to them with another big umbrella and beach mat.

As Kaname speared the end of the umbrella into the sand and popped the umbrella open to enlarge the shaded space for the group, Blake looked her friends over. Chikaru still wore her signature red bows with her crimson bikini with white flowers on it. She settled on the beach mat of Amane and Blake as Momomi struggled to spread their beach mat onto the sand. Shion was in a bright yellow bikini and had floppy sun hat on her head as she went over to help Momomi out. Kaname was in a similar outfit like Amane's but had a dark green one-piece swimsuit and black swim shorts while Momomi sported a cute and rather skimpy orange bikini. Miyuki wore a simple but stylishly fitting navy blue one-piece swimsuit. As for Shizuma, she was stunning in a black bikini and had a simple flowered blue sarong tied around her waist.

"All done!" Momomi announced as she plopped down under the shade of their umbrella as Kaname, Shion and Miyuki followed suit.

Blake grabbed hold of her camera, walked out a few feet away from the shade of their umbrella and set the camera on the sand. "Since we're all here, let's take a picture!" She trotted back and took her position as the group of girls scrunched together as the camera's red light flashed faster and faster until a flash blinded them. Blake got up and retrieved the camera only to hand it over to her friends to take more pictures of themselves. They pretty much had all the kinds of shots they could with the camera when Chikaru suggested that they go for a swim.

Kaname, Momomi, Amane and Shion took one look at each other before racing down the beach towards the water. Blake watched in amusement as the four Spica girls violently splashed water at each other before Amane swam away to locate a certain third year girl. The raven-haired girl got out from the shade of the umbrella and stretched her body as she watched Miyuki and Chikaru walk at a more sensible pace to the water's edge.

Shizuma also got out from the umbrella's shade and stood at Blake's side, observing her physique. "Are you really going to go swimming in that outfit?" she finally asked after looking Blake over with her inquiring amber orbs.

Blake shrugged her shoulders. "These board shorts are my swim shorts," she explained to the Etoile. "And I am sensible enough to swim in a swimsuit," she retorted as she grabbed the hem of her muscle shirt and proceeded to pull it up and over her head.

Shizuma stared in surprise. She had heard Blake state quite seriously that she was not going to wear anything like a bikini the day before. Blake wasn't wearing a bikini but she was wearing the upper half of it while her board shorts served as the lower half. Blake's top piece resembled a halter top because the straps were tied behind her neck. It was a simple bikini top and it wasn't at all skimpy or revealing as compared to the bikinis worn by their group. The last time Shizuma had seen the Blake shirtless was when she still had her bandages wrapped around her torso. This was the first time for Shizuma to see the raven-haired girl shirtless, albeit with the bikini top on.

Blake had thin and lightly muscled and cut arms and strong shoulders that supported a long and slender neck. She was not as gifted as Shizuma when it came to the bosom, but Blake had just enough to show for it. She had a small waist and an incredibly tight and fit stomach. Shizuma admired the physical appearance of the girl and saw that Blake had caught her staring.

"Well?" the raven-haired girl asked, taking off her shades and tossing it onto the beach mat. "Let's go join in the fun!" she told the Etoile, grabbing her hand and pulling her into a light jog towards the water. The sight of the two of them drew a lot of attention from the surrounding students, but they soon shrugged it off and went on with their own activities.

Blake and Shizuma waded into the water as soon as the latter threw off her sarong. Amane had come back from spending some time with Hikari and joined in the water fight between the girls. Amane, Blake and Kaname were of course the strongest of the girls and continuously barraged the girls with wave after wave of water.

After thoroughly soaking themselves and working their voice boxes from all the shouting and screaming, the girls got out of the water to play some beach volleyball on the remaining free court on the beach. They split themselves into teams of four: Blake, Amane, Shizuma and Shion on one team and Kaname, Momomi, Miyuki and Chikaru on the other.

Blake served the ball rather clumsily since she wasn't too familiar with the sport. Momomi received the ball and tossed it just above the net, which Kaname eagerly spiked into an unguarded spot. "Nice spike!" Blake called out. "But we all know which team is going to win this game!" she shouted.

Miyuki hit the ball to the other side of the court using an underhand serve. Shizuma called possession over the ball, backed up a few steps and hit the ball using the inside of her forearms. Shion followed up the hit by tossing the ball up high in the air. Amane ran a few steps forward then launched into the air to smash the ball hard. None of their opponents could save the ball as it hit the sideline hard.

The game continued for a good hour or so and spanned two more sets. Blake admitted to not being as skilled in this sport compared to others, but did her part of chasing after balls by diving into the sand and creating brilliant saves. Amane was the main attacker of their team and did not tire easily even after all the jumping and spiking she did. Shizuma was a decent receiver while Shion did most of the setting for their team. On the other team, Kaname was the main attacker, Momomi was the setter, Chikaru the receiver and Miyuki the server and receiver.

When sister Hamasaka blew her whistle to signal the start of lunch, the girls finished their game and walked as a group towards the outdoor eating area. They discussed numerous things as they enjoyed their meal of hotdogs, hamburgers and grilled potatoes and vegetables. At one point of the conversation, they were all talking about their futures after leaving Astraea Hill.

Kaname, Chikaru, Amane and Momomi begged their graduating friends to share their plans for the future after they set out on their after graduation. "Come on! I'm sure the four of you have thought about it even for just a little bit!" Amane insisted. "Why don't you go first Shion-san?"

Shion held her sun hat down as a particularly strong breeze wound through the eating area. "Well, I'm planning to study in Tokyo University. Perhaps take up medicine to become a doctor," she told the group of girls. "I have always wanted to become a doctor from a young age."

"With the way you nag at people, who would want to become your patients?" Kaname joked and became victim to a thrown hotdog bun that came from her student council president. "How about you Miyuki-san?" she asked after tossing the wasted bun into a trash can.

"I'm engaged," she said flatly before giving her friends a reassuring smile. "It's alright. I didn't approve at first but then there's nothing that can be done if you are the heiress of a powerful business family in Japan. The good thing is that my fiancé is decent both in physical appearance and in personality," she explained to the wide-eyed girls. "If time permits it, I may also attend and college get a degree in business to help out with my family's business."

"I'll probably head abroad for further studies," Shizuma answered when all eyes turned to her. "My father wishes that I travel outside of Japan to become even more cultured than I am now. Wherever I end up, I will most probably enroll and get a major in music and a minor in business since my family also has a particular lucrative business." She turned her eyes on Blake and looked genuinely interested. "How about you, Blake? What are you going to do once you graduate?"

Blake's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "I never really thought about. I'm not even sure if I'm going to go to college. The organization will probably discuss that with me and Kairos when we travel back to headquarters. As for a job, I will most probably end up working for the organization."

Chikaru clasped her hands together and dreamily looked up at the clear blue skies. "It must be fun to work for your organization!" she told the girls. "You get to travel around the world just like Blake has!"

Blake grinned and rubbed the back of her head. "Well, it is fun to be able to go travel to so many places," she admitted. "It gets tiring though after a while though."

After lunch, the students all headed back to the beach for more recreational activities. Blake, Chikaru and Shion decided to lie out in the sun to get a tan as they napped while Amane went in search for Hikari once more. Shizuma and Miyuki settled under the shade of their umbrella with books in their hands while Kaname and Momomi tried to build a sand castle. They did their activities for the next two hours before they all decided that they needed to cool off by swimming in the ocean again.

It was around four in the afternoon when Sister Hamasaka, the teacher chaperones and the resident doctor gathered the students to deliver some interesting news. "We just received word that a meteor shower will occur tonight. So to appreciate such a phenomenon more, the resort staff have suggested that we trek a few miles down this beach to a clearing where we can camp out and enjoy the event. We will all be camping on the beach and none of the students should wander off into the forest area at the edge of our camp site."

A teacher chaperon stepped forward. "We suggest that you take your belongings with you to the campsite. It'll probably take an hour to get to the campsite from here. The tents and other campsite materials will be provided by the resort staff. "If there are no questions, please head back to the hotel and get your belongings."

Amane and Blake walked back to the hotel together as the other girls from their group followed closely behind them. "This is interesting!" Amane exclaimed. "When I last went to a summer trip like this, we just stayed in the hotel then left the following morning! You must be a good luck charm Blake!"

Blake waved off the comment and led them to their room to gather their things. At exactly four-thirty in the afternoon, all the students assembled on the beach with their belongings.

"Your tents have already been brought to the campsite. So if we are ready, let us begin our trek!" Sister Hamasaka told the girls and led the train of students down the beach with the teachers and the doctor at her side at the front of the train.

Blake was enjoying so much during the trek that she did not notice her cellphone vibrate from receiving a text message in her bag. Due to the various other things in Blake's duffel bag, a few buttons were pressed on the cellphone to reveal the message.

_Blake, __I'm__ in the plane right now. __I'll__ be in Japan in a couple of hours or so. Remember I told you about the information we received some time ago? Well it turns out part of it is true. There are remnants of the scientific organization that held you captive prior to your stay in the Lionheart Organization. We are currently hunting them down because we have heard rumors that they may be running their illegal operations once more. You __needn't__ worry because it is highly doubtful that they know where you are. The Lionheart organization has made sure that only a few classified people know your whereabouts. Despite this, I want you to take care of yourself there at the beach resort. __Don't__ stray off from your co-students and be wary of your surroundings. __I'll__ see you soon. –Kairos_

* * *

_

* * *

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_yey! another chapter done! i was in the zone when i made this chapter. it's been roughly 2-3 days since i last updated so i'm quite proud of myself for updating in such a short span of time! _

_Alaeri: about the play, well of course Amane and Shizuma are so different from each other. i was actually thinking of making Amane dye her hair so that she and Shizuma may look like the twins they are in the story, but i decided not to. hehe. i'm glad that you were entertained!_

_moomoocachu: thanks again for reviewing!_

_vampknight364: you're reviewing more often now i see! hahaha! i really appreciate it!_

_DonnaUotani: ah so Kaname is your favorite! well as you have noticed, i have put more of Kaname in this chapter just for you ;p. hope you enjoyed it!_

_Soleil192: i'm flattered. Thanks! _

_Loorlover: by what you meant by the surprise is when Miyuki had the curtains put down just when Blake and Shizuma were about to kiss? hahaha! i had aimed to make it more entertaining that way instead of making it a typical romantic moment between the two of them. rest assured, you will see more alone time between Blake and Shizuma!_

_Next chapter: Settling in the campsite on the beach, danger and trouble arises, rain, and a confession. _


	12. Ghost from the Past

_Chapter 12: __Ghost from the Past_

They were making fast progress in setting up their camp before the sun was fully hidden on the horizon. The resort was in fact fully equipped with all the necessary equipment that they promised to provide for the sixty Astraea Hill students and the handful of adults. Around twenty-five tents lay scattered across the wide expanse of beach for their campsite. Some tents were large enough to hold four people while others were only big enough to hold two. The raven-haired foreign transfer student and her equestrian roommate made quick work of setting up their tent and pinning it firmly on the sand.

With a tired groan, Amane plopped down onto the sand and leaned back against her hands. "Finally done!" she breathed out. She reached for her bag a few feet away from her place on the sand and dragged it over to her. "Let's toss our stuff inside the tent and lie on the sand until the meteor shower starts!" She dropped the bag near her feet and kicked it unceremoniously into the tent.

"I'll fix our sleeping bags inside first," Blake told her friend, dragging to rolls of sleeping bags into the tent. "So if one of us gets too sleepy, we could just crawl in and sleep without the hassle of unrolling the sleeping bags." Blake swiftly undid the straps that held the sleeping bags fast and unrolled them onto the ground. She then reached outside of the tent flaps for her bag only to feel her duffel bag's sling set on the palm of her outstretched hand. The foreign transfer student voiced her thanks as she set her and Amane's bags by the wall of their tent before crawling out. "So where do we lie back and wait?"

Amane was about to point out the spot she had thought would be the best place to view the meteor shower when Sister Hamasaka blew her whistle again. "Looks like we won't be lying back until the meteor shower starts," she groaned in disappointment. "Come on," she pulled the other girl to her feet. "Let's go see what the sister wants." They both jogged down the beach to where the sister was standing.

The aged nun cleared her throat and looked at her clipboard. "Since the pairs of Kaname, Momomi and Amane, Blake are finished setting up their tent, I am sending you to the forest just at the perimeter of our campsite," she informed Blake and Amane as Kaname and her lover came up from behind them. "As you can see, we cannot rely on the power of electricity this far off from hotel. I need the four of you girls to gather firewood," she pointed at a large box set on a wagon beside her. "You can use this to tow your collected firewood back to the campsite. Don't wander too far into the forest. I am sure that you will find sufficient wood at the edges of the forest."

When no questions were asked, Blake and the three other Spica girls dragged the wagon up the slight slope of the beach towards the forest that edged the far end of their campsite. The sun was descending farther down on the horizon when the four girls reached the forest and began to scavenge for dry pieces of wood scattered about on the ground. Kaname tested some branches on trees to check if they were dead then broke them off from the trunk. Momomi parked the wagon outside of the forest and ferried armful after armful of firewood back to it.

"I think we have enough!" Amane called to her companions who were still in the forest gathering more firewood. "Whatever you have now, just bring it out and let's head back to camp!" She glanced at the horizon to see that sun had already disappeared. It would probably take just around ten minutes when the black darkness would fall upon their camp. They needed to bring back the firewood and start a fire as soon as possible. "Come on guys!"

Kaname and Momomi were the first to come out with their arms still full of firewood. She glanced at the overflowing wagon and shook her head. "Looks like we'll have to carry these back," she told her two friends. She called behind her, "Blake! Come on! We have to get going!"

The blurred figure of Blake walking through amongst the trees caught their eyes. "You guys go ahead! I just spotted a place a bit deeper inside with a lot of dead branches!" she shouted out, her voice become softer as if she was going deeper into the forest.

"We have more than enough!" Amane shouted back.

"I'm just making sure that we have enough to last the night! I'll just gather what I can, set it by that big tree where the wagon is then head back to the campsite on my own!" The raven-haired girl shouted. "Go on ahead! I'll be alright!" With decreasing sound of feet rustling on foliage, the girl ceased communicating with her friends.

Amane shrugged her shoulders. "Well, she may be right," she finally said. "If we are to keep fires going throughout the whole night, this may not be enough." She grunted as she hauled the wagon down the slope and towards the camp with Kaname and Momomi at either side of her. "Besides, she knows how to take care of herself." The trio of girls entered their campsite and proceeded to unload their burden. Other students stepped up to help light up a fire on the beach. The skies got dimmer and dimmer until they finally lit a decently sized fire. Once that was done, all the students arranged themselves around the fire and waited for the meteor shower to start. It did not cross the students' minds that one of their own had not come back yet. Amane thought that Blake would have gotten back already and probably would be in the company of Shizuma. In another area of the campsite, Shizuma felt slight worry over the missing Blake and eventually made up her mind that the girl was hanging out with Amane. As the first few stars twinkled out in the night sky and the fire crackled noisily, every person on the beach merely enjoyed each other's company.

* * *

It was a good thing that Blake had good eyesight even in the dark. She spent a good twenty minutes walking back and forth from the spot, which held a lot of scattered firewood to the pick-up point outside the forest. She was about to make the last return trip with an armful of firewood when the corners of her eyes picked up a glint of silver. The foreign transfer student snapped her head to the right to confirm if she was just seeing things. When nothing glinted, she shrugged her shoulders and took a step forward; her mind obviously made up that her tired mind was starting to play tricks on her.

She walked a few steps and didn't see the small rock that lay on her path. When she stepped on it unknowingly, Blake lost her balance and some of the wood tumbled out of her arms. A stream of curses left her mouth as she stooped down to gather the fallen pieces of wood. The silver glint this time was a consistent gleam a bit deeper into the forest when Blake looked up from picking up the wood. "What is that? Maybe someone left some jewelry over there," she said to herself, looking first at the firewood in her arms then at the silver glint further into the forest. "Well," she put the wood down on the ground. "I guess it won't hurt to check it out." She wound through the thick expanse of trees following the silver gleam.

Blake had walked a good five minutes when the silver gleam all of a sudden disappeared. She frowned at the sudden outcome and checked her surroundings to check where she was. The raven-haired girl stood in small clearing with a small patch of flowers and a bunch of rocks and boulders. She took a few seconds to admire the scenery before her before turning back to get back to camp. In the process of turning around, Blake heard an almost inaudible click several feet away. "Who's there?" Blake asked warily as she looked around carefully. All of a sudden, birds burst from the trees and flew into the sky above her. As she looked at the sky in surprise, there were two loud muffled pops… then there were twin flares of searing pain in her shoulder and thigh.

Blake dropped onto her good knee as she clutched at the flaring pain in her shoulder. She brought her hand up to her face and saw dark crimson blood flowing down her palm and down the inside of her forearm. The prize of Lionheart Organization, glanced down to see a large hole in her thigh that spurted blood. Cold sweat poured from Blake's forehead as she felt the beginnings of nausea taking over her as she snapped her head in all directions in search for whatever it was that did this to her.

A deep chuckle sounded from the shade of a tree a few feet away from her. Blake struggled to see through her blurring vision as a man clad in a black leather racing suit stepped into the clearing with a gleaming silver-black sniper rifle propped against the inside of his arm and shoulder. The man had mussed copper hair and had dark shades that hid his eyes. The leather-clad man set his sniper rifle standing on the ground and smiled at the fallen raven-haired girl with his arms crossed over his chest. "Well, well!" he had a deep raspy voice. "I didn't think that someone would be so stupid to fall for my trap!" he announced as he noted down the injuries that he had inflicted on the girl. "It is my lucky day that the prey that I was hunting for actually came walking into my trap!"

Blake struggled to get to her feet but fell on her knees once more causing the bullet wounds on her body to flare painfully. "Who the hell are you?" Blake growled, feeling more nauseous as each minute passed.

The man chose to sit on one of the large rocks in the clearing and looked at Blake through his dark shades. "A ghost from your past," he told the girl, emotion void from his voice. Another smile lit upon his face as he used his sniper rifle like a cane, resting his hand on the barrel. "You probably don't remember me," he smirked at Blake as he watched her writhe in pain. "You were usually so delirious with pain at those times I was there observing the experiments being done on you."

"You… bastard!" Blake choked out through her gritted teeth. "You were one of them!" She finally relinquished her hold on her tightly closed lips and allowed the collected blood in her mouth to fall to the ground. "You assholes toyed with me never caring about the kind of pain I went through every single day!" She was just about to curse the man once more when she was suddenly thrown onto her back by a force that hit her hard on the side of her head. Blake's sight went black for a few seconds before coming back to her. She stared up at the screwed up features of the man's face. He had lunged up from his seat on the rock and rammed the butt of his sniper rifle against the side of her head. She was sure that she had a concussion now from the blow.

"You're no position to curse at me," he leered at Blake. "I can easily put an end to your life right now, but I'm going to conduct an experiment on you first." He grinned when he saw a spark of fear light up in the girl's storm-gray eyes. "It's a two-way kind of thing. Either this experiment gives me the results that our organization has been looking for," he fished a small bottle and syringe from his pockets sneered. "Or it will serve as your execution. You were never meant to live anyway after all the experimenting we did on you." He filled the syringe with the purple colored liquid from the bottle and advanced towards Blake.

Blake struggled on her back to push herself away from the ex-member of the scientific organization, but could not do so when he grabbed hold of the front of her shirt and held her down on the ground. "Don't…" Blake let out weakly. She was truly wondering why the gunshots had made her this weak so quickly. "You-"

The man grinned and fished out a bullet from his back pocket. "To prevent you from escaping, I dipped my bullets into a potent poison. It's not deadly enough to kill you, but it assures me that you would be weak enough for me to hold you down and keep you captive." He grabbed her neck and forcefully exposed the girl's neck. "Now hold still!" He jabbed the needle into the side of Blake's neck and used his weight to pin down the struggling girl. He kept his body on Blake's and waited for the drug to take its effect on the girl.

Blake tried to shout at her captor but felt her throat muscles clench tightly, preventing her to speak. She felt the sharp pain that came from the needle that was stabbed into her neck and bit back a groan as she felt a burning fire sear through her veins. The pain intensified as the drug flowed quickly through the various veins making Blake's body arch due to the intensity. "What the hell did you put in me?" Blake half slurred and moaned.

"We made so many concoctions to try to wake the sleeping DNA code that we had constructed in you, but none were successful," he explained as he got back up on his feet and watched the girl contort her body to try to numb the pain. "This particular drug was supposed to be the next one we were going to inject in you, but then that blasted Lionheart organization came and rescued you!" He looked so beastly upon mentioning the organization. "No matter," he shrugged with a smile on his face. "The years that I waited in hiding is worth it now." He settled his rifle against his shoulder and seemed to enjoy the pain that Blake was experiencing. "So do you remember how it used to feel? This one might be a tad more painful than the previous experiments we did on you though. I personally mixed in another drug to make sure that you squirm in pain."

Blake twisted and turned on the ground as her body arched several times as the drug continued its painful course through her blood stream. All her nerves seemed to be on fire and her muscles contracted uncontrollably in reaction to her malfunctioning nerves. She wanted to get up and fight back somehow, but her pain-wracked body did not allow her to. She could only watch through her blood shot eyes how her captor observed her.

"Well, it looks like this drug isn't going to work," he finally decided after watching Blake suffer for a few more minutes. "How would you want to die? Should I let the drug do its work or should I put a bullet into your head?" he wondered aloud, pacing on the ground along the length of Blake's body. "Maybe letting the drug do the work is the best choice," he sneered. "I love it when people die a slow and painful death." He was a sadistic man as many of his co-members had told him when he was still in the organization. "Before I leave, I have a secret to tell you," he walked over to Blake and gave her a hard kick in her stomach to get her attention. "You're a slow girl!" he growled and gave the girl another hard kick with his steel-toed boot. "Ever wondered why a sniper rifle bullet hit you in the exact same spot you were shot at five years ago?" he grinned at when Blake's eyes widened in recognition. "So now you know that I was the one who tried to stop your escape," he said without pity. "I could have killed you in one shot, but that worthless bitch doctor was getting in the way."

"You-you!" Blake stuttered both in pain and in anger.

The man threw his head back and laughed long and hard. "Yes," his eyes were cold and hard as he stared down at the dying girl. "I could not kill you, but I had the obligation to dispose of the person who was the mastermind of your escape." He licked his lips as he put his sniper rifle on the ground and leaned against it. "I enjoyed every single second of watching the female doctor bleed until she died through my scope."

Something aside from the pain burned inside of Blake upon hearing the man's claim. For a few precious seconds, she felt the pain that coursed through her body stop. She took the chance and kicked hard at the man's ankles, making him fall on his back. The pain was starting again, but Blake ignored it and picked up the discarded sniper rifle. The raven-haired girl swayed on her feet as she struggled to get a shot of her attacker.

The man was already on his feet and lunging forward to tackle Blake when a familiar muffled pop resounded in the clearing. The man staggered back, clutching his chest as his shades fell to the ground. Blood spilled from the side of his mouth as he put pressure on his bullet wound. "Damn girl!" he growled menacingly and seemed to advance forward to hit the girl but stopped. "You'll die anyway. Since the drug didn't work, it will surely kill you if it stays in your system!" he stumbled back and disappeared into the trees.

Blake stood still in the clearing for a few seconds, the sniper rifle still aimed at where her captor had recently been standing in. A minute had gone by when Blake finally lost her grip on the rifle and let it clatter to the ground. The pain was starting to become unbearable now. She turned around and limped out of the clearing and into the woods. She navigated through the darkness with one eye since her other eye was stained with the steady flow of blood that seeped from a long cut on the side of her head. _He killed her…_ Blake thought as she struggled to breathe and limp back to the campsite. At this rate, she knew that she wasn't going to make it to the campsite. Blake knew that her body would fall to ground lifeless somewhere in that forsaken forest.

_No! _Blake shouted at herself mentally. _I have to try to get back. I just have to breathe and drag myself back to the campsite!_ She grit her teeth as she fell against a tree and weakly held herself up with both of her hands. _It hurts…_ Blake clutched at her shoulder, which was bleeding sluggishly. _I have to keep going! _Blake groaned as she pushed herself back onto her feet and continued limping forward towards where the sounds of happy students came from. _Kairos is going to kill me, _she thought rather sarcastically despite the endless pursuit of pain. Since she was in such an intense state of concentration, Blake barely noticed the loud rumble of thunder above her.

* * *

Amane smiled contentedly as she held Hikari close in her arms. They had just witnessed a beautiful meteor shower and was trying to engrain the memory into her mind, when she heard a voice call out to her.

"Amane!"

The prince of Spica twisted her head on her neck to see whoever it was that was calling her. "Miyuki-san?" she said in confusion a she loosened her hold on her lover to get a better view on the Saint Miator student council president. "Is there something wrong?" she asked after noting the lines of worry on the girl's forehead.

"Is Blake with you?"

Amane shook her head and got to her feet. "I told you awhile back that she was going to come back on her own after gathering some more spare firewood for insurance," she told the girl. Amane suddenly felt a cold chilling feeling run through her spine. "I assumed that she had already returned and is spending time with the Etoile." Her eyes grew wide in panic. "Blake isn't with Shizuma?" She ran across the sand and wound through the tents. She stopped at Kaname and Momomi's tent only to see that only the two girls and Shion were seated there. "Kaname!" she almost shouted out of panic. "Have you seen Blake?"

Kaname shook her head and began to look worried upon seeing the look on her classmate's face and hearing the tone of her voice. "I thought that she was with you or with Shizuma-san," she admitted then got to her feet. "She isn't?" she questioned upon seeing the grim look on her friend's face. "Shit! So she's still in the forest then! Come on!" she grabbed a couple of flashlights from her things and tossed one to Amane. The two of them waded through the crowd of students towards the forest at the edge of their encampment.

As the students continued their merry-making at the encampment, a platinum-haired girl dressed in skimpy shorts and a tank top was starting her walk up the slope of the beach towards the forest. Shizuma had worried for the past hour because of the disappearance of the foreign transfer student. She had walked around the campsite during the meteor shower hoping to sight upon the girl's familiar sable-black hair. When she was unsuccessful, she searched for Miyuki and asked where Blake was last seen. After Miyuki had left her to do some searching of her own, Shizuma had put the clothes she was currently wearing over her swimsuit and made her way to the forest. If Blake wasn't at the campsite then she was definitely still in the forest.

Voices sounded behind the Etoile, which caused the girl to glance behind her only to see the faint figures of Kaname and Amane jogging towards her. Shizuma turned back around, thankful that she was going to have company in her search for Blake, but suddenly halted on the sand. She squinted her eyes to try to make out what seemed like to be the figure of a person half walking and half dragging her feet across the cool sand. As Shizuma watched the figure get closer and closer, her eyes widened in fear upon realizing who the person was.

"Blake!" Shizuma shouted in anguish. She had a clear view of the raven-haired girl's current state. The girl was clearly injured since she limped across the sand while clutching a bleeding shoulder with one hand. A slow flow of blood ran down her face and the side of her head while what seemed to be another wound on her thigh bled sluggishly. Blake was breathing heavily with her mouth open and she seemed to be having difficulty doing so.

"Shizuma-san!" Amane's voice rung out from several feet behind her. "Did you find Blake? Why did you shout like that?" Amane and her classmate skidded to a halt behind the Etoile upon seeing the person of they were searching for limp towards them as if in a trance. "Blake?! Kaname run back and tell the doctor to get ready!" Amane didn't bother to see Kaname running like crazy back to the campsite to do her bidding. She did see Shizuma run forward to meet the injured girl.

Blake could not even see properly anymore. Once she had cleared the forest and set her feet on the sand, her vision had become worse and she was starting to experience periodic black outs. She was feeling weaker with every passing second not just because of the drug, but because of her continuous loss of blood from her wounds. _Come on! Just a bit more and __I'm__ there! __Don't__ break down on me now!_ Blake pleaded with herself.

"Blake!" A scream tore through the cool night air.

Blake stopped in her tracks and forced herself, painfully and ever so slowly to straighten and look for the source of the scream. The figure she saw from afar was still so blurred that Blake squinted hard enough just to make out the familiar platinum hair blowing against the wind. "Shizuma," the girl's name came out of Blake's smiling lips in a soft whisper. _Shizuma…_

The Etoile put in a final burst of speed in her run and was able to catch the falling body of Blake in her arms. "Blake!" she cried out in fear. She groped at Blake's body with her hand to feel that the girl's body was becoming slack. When she saw her hands stained with Blake's blood, she immediately shouted for someone to help her.

"I'm here! Shit! What happened to her?" Amane almost shouted in shock upon seeing the sorry state of Blake. She shook herself off from her stupor and grabbed hold of one of Blake's arms. "Come on! We have to bring her back to the campsite and to the doctor!" She waited as Shizuma got to her feet and slung Blake's other arm around her shoulder and pressed her hand against the gunshot wound on the girl's shoulder.

"Shizuma…" Blake whispered over and over again as she was half dragged and carried by Amane and the Etoile.

The platinum-haired girl gently shushed the injured girl. "I'm here Blake," she whispered into the girl's ear. Blake's head was lolling forward on her neck as she continued to call out the Etoile's name in a hoarse whisper. "Please!" she pleaded loudly enough for Amane to hear. "Don't die on me!" They struggled on closer and closer to the encampment when Kaname appeared and ran towards them.

"Oh god!" Kaname cursed. "Shizuma let me take Blake's other arm!" she ordered. "Amane and I are stronger and we'll be able to get her to the doctor much faster." The Spica student took Blake's arm off Shizuma's shoulders and replaced it on top of her own. "What kind of shit did you go through Blake?" Kaname muttered as she and Amane ran Blake into the campsite. "Get out of the way!' she shouted at the clumps of students lounging around in their path.

"Move!" Amane also shouted as they shoved past students and struggled to get their charge to the waiting doctor who was ordering students to clear the area by the fire.

"Put her here!" The middle-aged female doctor ordered the two Spica students. She pointed at the beach mat spread on the sand by her feet. "Hurry! We have to treat her now if we want to save her!" The doctor got to her knees and immediately examined the now pale and even weaker girl.

"Kairos…" Blake let out in a hoarse whisper.

Amane got to her knees and stopped the doctor from continuing her exam. "What? Blake did you say something?" The girl bent down and put her ear a few inches away from the injured girl's lips.

"Kairos…" the weakened girl whispered again. "Get Kairos… cellphone… bag," she struggled with her speech. "Tell him…. Drugs… poison in," she hacked out blood. "My body…"

Amane straightened and told the doctor, "I need to get her cellphone and call her guardian! I think he knows what to do!" She sprinted off to their tent not even trying to be careful as she shoved students out her way out of fear for her friend. She slid into her tent and hurriedly dug through Blake's bag and fished out the girl's cellphone.

"Amane? Are you there?" Miyuki's voice sounded from outside her tent.

The equestrian shot out of her tent and tossed the phone to Miyuki. "Call Kairos! Tell him that Blake's critically injured!" she told Miyuki as they ran back to the fire. "Tell him that there's some sort of drug that poisoning her inside her body!" Amane pushed through the gathering crowd of students and seemed to get stuck when she heard a commanding roar.

"All of you go back to your tents now!" Sister Hamasaka roared. Whatever it was that the students heard from her voice, it got them scurrying back to their tents. "Amane, where is her cellphone?" she demanded from the girl as she and Miyuki ran to the doctor's side.

"Miyuki's calling Kairos now! I hope that he's in the country already!" She looked a few feet away from Blake's body to see Shizuma being held back by Shion and Momomi. Sheer fear and distress were seen in the amber orbs of the Etoile as she struggled to get to Blake's side. "Has he answered yet?" Amane shouted at Miyuki.

"It's ringing already!" Miyuki shouted back as she paced back and forth on the sand. "Please answer!"

* * *

Kairos struggled to prevent a yawn as he drove down the empty highway. He knew that he told Blake that he was going to come visit her the Monday after she got back from the summer trip, but he had decided on the plane that he was going to surprise her at the beach resort. He had just spotted the sign that told him he was roughly twenty minutes away from his destination when his cellphone started ringing. "Who could be calling me at this time?" he wondered out loud as he fished his cellphone out of his pocket and quickly put the phone against his ear. "Hello?"

_"Kairos-san!"_

The blonde-haired man was rendered speechless for a second before finally speaking into the phone. "Is that you Miyuki?" he asked and heard what seemed liked chaos in the background. "Wait, you're using Blake's phone. Is something wro-"

_"It's Blake! She's been attacked!"_

Kairos felt his blood go cold upon hearing the news. "What the hell happened?"

Miyuki sounded like she was about to cry as she explained. "_I don't know! She and a few others were gathering firewood and she told Amane that __she'd__ follow because she wanted to gather some more to make sure there was enough to last the night. __We were separated and each of us thought that she was with one us, but in fact she was still in the forest!"_

"How is she?" Kairos demanded as he pressed harder on the gas pedal.

_"She'__s been shot twice; one on her__ shoulder and one on her thigh,"_ the girl replied. _"Amane said that Blake was muttering something about drugs poisoning her inside her body.__" _

"Damn!" Kairos shouted as he banged the steering wheel hard with his free hand. "They got to Blake somehow!" He sped his car down the highway at a higher speed. "Look!" he told Miyuki. "Keep her alive and awake as much as possible! I'm on my way there!"

_"Where are you?"_

"You don't have to worry about that! I'm driving way over the speed limit!"

* * *

The doctor and the remaining students watched Blake as the girl started to slur something incomprehensible. During the whole time that Miyuki was talking to Kairos on Blake's cellphone, she had been able to extract both of the bullets out of Blake's body. Stopping the bleeding was giving her a fair amount of trouble as she ordered Amane to hold out her medical tools and drugs.

"Mikh-" Blake said hoarsely as she reached up towards the clouded night skies.

"She's delirious!" The doctor said in mock calmness as she struggled to wrap bandages around the afflicted parts of Blake's body.

"Mikh-" the girl slurred once again.

"Shizuma please calm down!" Shion pleaded with the girl she held down with the help of Momomi and Chikaru. "You cannot help her in this state!"

The Etoile continued to struggle wildly in the arms of her co-students. "Blake! Blake!" she called out in anguish as the other girls around her tried to soothe her.

Chikaru put her arms around Shizuma's waist and held her fast against her body. "Please Shizuma-san!" she pleaded as rain finally started to fall heavily upon them. "Nothing can be done! In your current state, you will just get in the doctor's way," she told the girl without mercy. The tactic worked because Shizuma ceased her struggle and fell limp on the ground in hysterics, her tears hidden by the rain.

"Mikh-Mikhaila…" Blake slurred in a somewhat clearer voice. "Couldn't… save… you…" the girl let out between ragged deep breaths.

"Mikhaila?" Amane and Shizuma repeated at the same time. All of them were thoroughly drenched by the rain at this time. "Who is Mikhaila?" Amane wondered as Blake's body started to spasm uncontrollably.

"Grab her legs and hold her down!" The doctor shouted as she swiftly injected medication into Blake's arm to stop her violent spasms. "Nothing is working! Everything that I give is doing nothing to help her!" The doctor shook her head and looked hopelessly at the lying form of her patient before her.

"Hate… the rain… makes… remember you… Mikhaila…" Her eyes fluttered close as she whispered those words. "Urghh!" Blake grunted in pain as her body arched violently and thrashed her arms and legs against the ground.

"She's going into cardiac arrest!" The doctor shouted as she struggled to treat the girl. She watched in a panicked state as Blake's chest heaved faster and faster as the girl struggled to breathe.

"Blake!" A man's voice shouted.

Miyuki ran towards the voice and spotted Kairos furiously sprinting towards them. "Kairos-san!" Miyuki called out and ushered the older man to Blake's side.

The blonde man panted heavily as he got on his knees beside Blake's body. "What's happening to her? Cardiac arrest?" Kairos guessed just as Blake's chest stilled and her storm-gray eyes rolled up to her head. "Shit!" He shoved a syringe filled with a clear liquid into the doctor's hands. "Inject this into her!" Kairos ordered.

"I can't just put something unknown into her system!"

"Do it!' Kairos roared and watched as the harried doctor hurriedly injected the drug into Blake's motionless body. He watched at wits end as he waited for signs of life. "Come on Blake! Breathe!" the guardian pleaded with his charge as he set his hands on Blake's abdomen and began to pump up and down. "Breathe!" he shouted as the doctor took charge and performed CPR on the still lifeless girl. They were all soaked to their skin as they waited in anticipation for any sign of life from the foreign transfer student.

Kairos and the doctor seemed to do endless sets of CPR to Blake until the doctor finally sat up and shook her head at all of them. Kairos slammed his fists into the sand and shouted out in grief for his friend. "God damn it!" he shouted, his face a few inches away from Blake's face. "Wake up and breathe you stupid girl! You still have a whole life ahead of you! BLAKE!"

For what seemed like a full minute, they all looked down at the sand fully accepting the tragedy that had befallen them. All of a sudden, Blake's fingers twitched. Kairos was the first to spot the barely noticeable movement. "Blake?" he called out to the girl, his voice filled with relief. He grabbed hold of his charge's hand and squeezed her hard. "Squeeze back if you're alive!" he ordered, knowing that he sounded stupid by saying that. His whole body relaxed as a feeling of relief washed over him when he felt his charge faintly squeeze back. "You're alive," Kairos choked out.

The doctor shook her head. "Let's get her inside the communal tent," she pointed at the largest tent in the campsite. "The rain won't do her and us any good if we stay out here." She too sounded relieved by what had just happened. She and Sister Hamasaka ushered the remaining students into the large tent as Kairos carried the limp Blake in his arms. As Kairos and the others dried off, they watched as the doctor examined Blake once more to make sure that she was truly alright.

"She is out of danger now," she announced, shrugging off her sodden and heavy lab coat and tossing it into a corner of the tent. "Whatever it was that you made me inject in her was enough to bring her back," she told Kairos tiredly. "I need to get out of these clothes and inform the other teacher chaperones of what happened. Sister Hamasaka?" She and the nun then left the tent to inform their colleagues leaving seven students with Blake and Kairos.

Shizuma was the first to walk over and sit next to Blake who had her eyes closed. "Is she going to be alright?" she asked Kairos, taking hold of the Blake's other hand. Her eyes were a bit red from the crying she did just a while ago.

Kairos let out a long sigh as he shook out the water from his hair. "As far as I know, Blake will be alright. She has gone through similar things before she was taken in by the Lionheart Organization."

Amane stood up and looked hard at Kairos. "What are these similar things you talk about?" she demanded impatiently. "How can such an ordinary and normal girl be targeted like that?" She was pulled down onto a chair by a patient Chikaru as Shion, Miyuki, Kaname and Momomi waited for an answer from the older man.

"There's no way around it now," Kairos muttered to himself. He squared his shoulders and faced his audience. "Before Blake came to be with the Lionheart Organization, she was experimental subject at an illegal scientific organization called ShadowLabs. The scientists there had only one goal, which was to create or at least manipulate the DNA code of a human being and transform him or her into a genius, effective and efficient weapon."

"Blake never told me this," Shizuma told Kairos as her friends gaped at her for knowing at least part of the past of the unconscious girl.

The guardian didn't look at Shizuma as he continued his explanation. "She told me before that she shared her past to you but without the details about the matter," he informed the Etoile. "She would have never wanted to share such a painful and gruesome past with anyone after what she went through in that facility."

"What happened to her? And who is this Mikhaila that she was saying repeatedly while she was delirious?" Amane quipped. The other students nodded their heads and waited for an answer.

"She was tortured," the look in Kairos' eyes was hard when he admitted the truth. "Not one day went by without groups of scientists injecting her with various drugs and sending painful electrical pulses through her body to make the drugs more effective. There were many days when she was taken aside and beaten for defying the wishes of the scientists, but she lived through it long enough until we came along to save her."

"And Mikhaila?" Shion repeated.

The young man all of a sudden looked depressed upon hearing the name. "Mikhaila was a hired doctor at the facility and she was eventually tasked to give treatment to Blake after each session to prepare her for the next day's session. She was the one who leaked information to my organization about the anomalies occurring within that facility and helped in the rescue mission. Unfortunately, she was shot by one of the scientists before she could board the helicopter."

"Why doe Blake seem so attached to her?" Shizuma finally asked. "She was saying something about hating the rain and not being able to save her."

Kairos took awhile to meet the amber eyes of Shizuma. "What she said is true. She hates the rain because it was raining on the day we smuggled her out of the facility and when Mikhaila was killed. About not being able to save her… well, they developed a special relationship while the both of them were in that facility."

"Were they-" Kaname posed the question before anyone else could ask.

Kairos shook her head. "Mikhaila and Blake? No they weren't like that," Kairos assured all of them. "My cousin was never into those kinds of relationships," he explained. "Besides, she was twenty-four and Blake was thirteen years old at that time."

All of them remained silent for the next few minutes, contentedly watching the sleeping Blake. Shizuma finally broke the awkward silence by asking, "Can you tell us everything that happened to Blake in that facility?"

"It's a very lengthy story," he told the girls, rubbing his temples with his palms.

All the girls shook their heads and scooted forward to listen attentively about the mysterious past of Blake. "We got the whole night to hear everything."

* * *

I can hardly believe it! I updated just after a day! hahaha! well i think it's for the best that i chose to update another chapter after just a day. I'll be quite busy for the next few days since my final exams are next week. Only two exams though, a statistics exam on monday and a finance exam on wendesday plus i have two paper due within this week. The next time i'll probably update might by next next weekend. Anyhow, i hope you guys stay patient for the next week or so and that you enjoyed this chapter!

soleil192: you guessed right about the organization that was after blake. :)

DonnaUotani: Happy happy birthday! i'm even happier now that i did the right thing of putting Kaname more in the story in the last chapter after finding out it was your birthday! thanks for reviewing!

vampknight364: thanks again for reading and reviewing and i shall try my best to update as fast as i can as soon as my exams and papers are done with.

Next chapter: reminiscing blake's past, back to Astraea hill, and a painful decision.


	13. Painful Reminiscing

_Chapter 13: Reminiscing Pain_

"It's a very lengthy story," Kairos told the girls, rubbing his temples with his palms.

All the girls shook their heads and scooted forward to listen attentively about the mysterious past of Blake. "We got the whole night to hear everything."

Kairos let out a long sigh as he toweled off his wet hair. "I just hope Blake doesn't wake up while I'm telling this to you," he said tiredly.

* * *

_Five years ago…_

* * *

Five long beeps from the public announcement system sounded through the empty and plain hallways. On the fourth beep, two hulking men in lab coats turned into the once empty hallway and strode down its polished floors. 

_"Assistants Jamison and Santiago collect subject twenty-two hundred eighteen and transfer her to examination room three." _A man's voice spoke through the public announcement system after the fifth beep.

Jamison, the blonde-haired and blue eyed German and his dark-haired Spaniard companion briskly walked up to a reinforced steel door marked by the numbers 22018 emblazoned on a steel plate. Jamison patiently waited as Santiago quickly punched in the unlock code on the keypad set beside the door. "Think she'll be sedate enough for us to bring her to the examination room?" he inquired the other man.

The Spaniard shrugged his shoulders and slid the door open. They both stepped inside the small, dimly lit room. The dark-haired man reached for the wall and quickly flipped on the light switch to reveal their test subject. The room was simplistic with its whitewashed walls, single bed, toilet and sink. It could have been easily mistaken as a prison cell except that there was a lone wooden bookcase filled with books on one side of the room. Santiago looked down to see their charge sitting against the wall with her legs spread out on the floor and looking at them with tired bloodshot storm gray eyes. The young girl's hair was mussed and her clothes needed some repairs. "Time to get ready, 22018."

The girl stared hard at the two men before letting out a long sigh. "Don't you ever get tired of doing this every single day?" she asked the two men without a hint of emotion in her voice. She got on her knees and eased herself up to her feet.

Jamison scowled at the girl and roughly pushed her out into the hallway. "As long as we get paid to do our job, then nothing's wrong with doing something so routinely." He and the Spaniard walked on either side of the girl, ushered her down two halls, and finally bringing her inside examination room 3.

A balding man swiveled his chair around to see his visitors and tipped his glasses up the bridge of his nose when he saw the girl. "Strap her down men," he said without interest. "We've got a few drugs to try out on her for this day's session." He walked over to a large machine filled with knobs, buttons and screens and began pushing and twisting what seemed to be a symphony of clicks and turns. "Is she ready?"

Jamison nodded his head and secured the straps that spanned around the 22018's hands, waist and shins. The raven-haired girl gazed somberly at the men and allowed her restraints to keep her upright and carry her weight. "You know the drill," the big German told the restrained girl and stepped aside to let the balding man do his work.

The bespectacled man stood a foot away from the girl and held out four vials in his hand. "Twenty-two hundred eighteen," he greeted with a smirk.

The girl gave a forced grin of her own. "Doctor Redfern," she greeted rather courteously but her eyes clearly showed absolute loathing for the man that stood before her.

The scientist chuckled as he drew fluid out of the first vial and into his syringe. "You're a walking contradiction, 22018," he pointed out, tapping the syringe to make the fluid settle. "Everyone knows how you despise this daily routine you go through, but here you are looking like you're about to raid a candy store!" The bespectacled scientist advanced on his experiment with a wicked grin on his face. "Oh it doesn't matter!" he clucked his tongue at the girl before recklessly jabbing the needle into the girl's neck. "Does that hurt?" he asked in a fake sympathetic voice.

The girl tightly smiled at the scientist and indecorously spat on the floor. "Hurts?" she asked through gritted teeth. "Why I don't even know the definition of hurt or pain after going through this every single day for over a year." There was no tone in her voice as she spoke to the man before her. The girl felt a hard slap across her face and forced herself to look at the man with no feeling in her eyes.

"Impertinent bitch!" The man growled as he motioned for the two assistants to come forward and attach several wires on the girl's flesh. "You just earned yourself a great reward!" he remarked angrily. "Finished attaching those wires?" he asked the men then turned to look at the restrained girl. "I'm going to be sending electrical pulses through your body. The electric current coursing through your body will trigger the drug to become more potent thus getting faster results," he explained, going back to his panel and pulling down a lever. "The unfortunate thing is that the electrical current isn't at all painless."

The raven-haired girl clenched her teeth as she felt the current rip through her body. She fought against her restraints as her body tried to contort in reaction to the pain. She felt as if her blood was on fire; as if the electric current was heating the drug mixed in her blood to an unbelievable temperature. Subject 22018 continued to writhe in pain without emitting a sound until the current was halted.

"Now was that painful?" The doctor asked in a too sweet voice when he finally stood before the girl after turning off the electrical current. The only reply he got was a glare and a scowl. He briskly drew fluid from the next vial, injected it into the girl, walked back to his panel and increased the voltage of the current a few notches. Redfern looked over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes at the still glaring girl. "Wrong answer." He pulled down the lever once more and watched as the girl thrashed violently against her restraints.

"Nnnghhhhhhhh!" The girl groaned out as she fought against the intensified pain.

The doctor just smiled in his seat as he and the other two men watched the girl. "And just think," he said to no one in particular. "We have two more to go for this day."

* * *

Three hours had gone by when Redfern finally ordered a halt to the session. He watched with a distorted satisfied smile on his face as his cohorts unstrapped the unconscious girl and dropped her onto the floor. The experiment would have just taken an hour at most, but since the girl was becoming more and more brazen, Redfern had decided to lengthen the session by torturing the girl more with electrical pulses and the occasional beating he ordered his men to carry out on her. Just like most days when the sessions would last longer than expected, subject 22018 fell unconscious. The Spaniard and the German grabbed each of the girl's arms and were about to drag her out of the room when Redfern ordered, "Bring her to the new infirmary." 

The men looked at the scientist quizzically. "Sir?" Jamison inquired as he and his companion effortlessly held the girl up by her arms. "We are not to transfer her back to her room?"

Redfern shook his head and sat in his chair. "We just hired a new employee recently," he informed his assistants. "A fresh graduate from med school from what I've read from her application letters." He swiveled his chair around to work at his computer. "The other scientists and I have realized that the drugs we inject to subject 22018 do not work as well if she is exhausted," Redfern explained patiently. "Take her to the infirmary and the doctor will treat her so that she'd be in good enough condition for us to experiment on her once more." Without uttering another, he dismissed the two men with a flap of his hand before focusing entirely on hi monitor.

Jamison and Santiago looked at each other for a moment before half dragging and carrying the limp girl out of the examination room. "By what Redfern meant," Santiago asked the German as they sidestepped a group of scientists in the hall. "The new infirmary is in the annexed building right?"

Jamison curtly nodded his head. "I heard that they just opened it this morning. Scientists talk that it is the new location for fully equipped examination rooms, labs and the new infirmary," he told the Spaniard. He frowned at the girl they held in between their bodies. "I just don't understand why they continue to conduct all these experiments on her. Every single day they inject at least one drug into her and do all sorts of painful stimulation on her, but the DNA code they managed to manipulate in her hasn't awakened to what they expected."

The Spaniard shook his head at the folly the scientists of ShadowLabs was doing. "They are wasting their time on this girl," he agreed with his companion as they walked across a bridge that connected the old building to the newer facility. "I was told by one of the older scientists that they didn't treat this girl like how they did now." He shrugged his shoulders when Jamison threw a questioning look at him. "Well, did you notice that book case in her room? It was filled with books. They gave her all those books and used to teach her all sorts of things ever since she was still a kid. Until last year though they halted those activities, but continued to supply her with books."

"Why give her more books? I doubt that it actually helps the scientists out with getting results from her."

Santiago resettled his grip on the girl's arm and explained, "Remember their goal! They want to create a human being that's a genius, effective and efficient weapon. The scientists are hypothesizing that 22018 might eventually show signs of advancing intellect so they continue to supply her with books. I doubt though that she's been reading the books for the past year." He and Jamison stopped in front of a steel door labeled as the infirmary, pushed on a button to make the door open and stepped inside with the girl.

"Incoming patient," Jamison called out as he looked the room over. There were around five cots arranged against the wall and several complicated medical equipment scattered around the room. A young woman with reddish-blonde hair and emerald green eyes stepped out from behind a curtained area of the room with a clipboard and pen in her hands. "I believe you have been briefed accordingly with what to do." He and Santiago carelessly dropped the unconscious girl on the floor and stalked out of the room without so much of a backwards glance.

The young doctor stared outside of the room until the closing door obstructed any further viewings of the hallway. "Brutes," she muttered under her breath as she set her clipboard on a table and pocketed her pen in her lab coat. She walked over to the sprawled form of the girl and knelt down beside her, gently brushing off sweat-matted hair away from her face. Suddenly, the unconscious girl snapped her eyes open, sat up and backed herself into the nearest wall. The doctor looked surprised as she and the young girl stared at each other. "It's alright," she finally told the girl with the gentlest voice she could muster. "I'm not one of them."

The raven-haired girl narrowed her eyes at the doctor. "White lab coat, surrounded by high tech equipment, profession of either a scientist or doctor," the girl dictated tiredly. "Everything that's on you or surrounding you pretty much speaks out that you're one of them." The girl leaned against the wall and winced in pain.

The doctor thought quickly. "I'm new around here and believe me I had no idea what I was getting myself into until I witnessed what they did to you yesterday." She raised her eyebrows at the quizzical look that her patient was giving her. "I was being toured around the facility and I caught a glimpse of whatever torture it was they were doing to you," she explained to the straight-faced girl.

The girl continued to stare at the doctor then finally shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "So you are new then," she muttered. "Come a few weeks you'll be exactly like them concocting drugs to inject into my body and coming up with more painful methods to get faster results," she continued in a wry drawl.

"I don't care about their plans," the doctor told her patient firmly. "The only thing you need to know and engrain in that stubborn head of yours is that I'm a doctor and that the only work that I do here is treat patients and get them into healthier conditions." She frowned at the young girl with sable-black hair. "Now will you allow me to approach and help you into a bed?" she asked patiently. "I want to get to work as soon as possible and I can easily see that you're in much pain."

The girl sighed and bowed her head in defeat. "Why even bother?" she asked in a dull voice as the doctor approached. "I'm in pain every single day after each session." She let the doctor assist her into the nearest bed and slowly lowered herself into a lying position.

"They're my orders," she said casually. "Treat 22018 and put her into the best condition you can manage so that she would be ready for the next day's session," the female doctor recited as she gently ran her hands over the girl's limbs and poked at some other parts of her body. She frowned upon seeing some painful red marks on parts of the girl's skin. "You have second degree burns."

The young girl continued to stare up at the ceiling as she explained in a cold voice, "What's to be expected when electric currents of varying voltage levels are sent through your body every single day." She flinched reflexively when the doctor slathered a cold burn ointment onto the afflicted areas of her skin.

"Has living in this facility made you so cynical and accustomed to pain?" the doctor demanded. "You have a life that you should treasure," she scolded the young patient.

"My life isn't mine to control," came the bitter reply.

The doctor finally stood over her patient and scowled down at her. "Look, when you're here in my infirmary you don't talk like the whole world is coming to an end!" She fiercely glared at the girl then continued her examination. "So let's start over. What's your name?" she asked.

The patient blinked a couple of times before finally giving an answer. "I have no name although they call me using my identification number." She lifted her head to watch the doctor walk over to her computer and type something.

"Experimental subject 22018," she identified her patient correctly from the information that appeared on her monitor. "Approximately aged to be thirteen years old, hair color is black, eye color is gray, current height and weight are 5'4 and 101 pounds respectively. Additional information states that you are the first human subject to undergo DNA manipulation and hasn't been wielding any of the expected results." She walked back to the bed as she jotted down notes on her clipboard. "Am I missing something?"

"Only that you're wasting your time treating me," the girl replied somberly.

The doctor once again frowned at the girl. "What did I just tell you?" she demanded. "Look, I'm going to help you into that chamber," she pointed at a large glass cylinder that reached until the ceiling. "You'll be submerged in a mixture of liquefied minerals and some relatively harmless chemicals to treat your body."

The cynical patient sat up and stared hard at the doctor. "You are different from them," she finally remarked. "I haven't met a person as strange as you in my whole stay in this facility." She got out of the bed and limped towards the giant cylindrical chamber. "Who are you?"

"Pardon?" The doctor asked absently as she pushed various buttons on the computer attached to the chamber.

"Who are you?" the girl reiterated as she accepted an oxygen mask from the older woman. "You identified me awhile back so you should identify yourself." The glass chamber lowered itself through the floor and eased back up once Blake was inside with the oxygen mask secured over her nose and mouth.

The doctor stood on the opposite side of the glass and watched as the chamber slowly started to fill with very light green liquid. "I suppose introducing yourself to your patient is the polite thing to do," she told the girl in amusement. "I'm Doctor Mikhaila Blackthorn," she introduced herself just as the liquid topped over the girl's head. "You could call me Khaila for short." She tapped at the glass and motioned for her to relax. "Try taking a nap," she suggested. "You'll be in there for a few hours." With that, Khaila walked back to her personal computer and began to pore over the medical information of her latest patient.

* * *

"Good afternoon doctor." 

Khaila stepped out from behind the curtained portion of the room to return the greeting of her patient. "Good after- Hey!" she cried out when the same men from yesterday flung her weakened patient into the infirmary from the door. "You could just set her down on the floor you know!" she told the men crossly.

"You're going to treat her right?" Jamison asked with a smirk on his face. "Since you're going to do that then it doesn't matter what other kinds of injury we do to her prior to bringing her here." He and his partner guffawed at his comment before disappearing down the hall.

The raven-haired girl struggled to her hands and knees. "It's alright doctor," she assured the older woman in a tired voice. "They've been doing that for over a year now except that they used to drop me off at my room right after the sessions."

Khaila gaped at her patient. "You mean they just put you back in your room without giving you medication?" she questioned almost angrily. She could not believe how inhuman it was for these people to allow a girl to care for her own injuries without the proper tools or even knowledge. "Come on," she urged the girl gently. "Let me get you to the bed and make you feel less uncomfortable."

"Doctor-"

"Call me Khaila," the doctor interrupted as she peeled off the girl's sweat-logged shirt. She frowned upon taking in the appearance of her patient. Even though subject 22018 is called the pioneering prize of ShadowLabs, they surely did not treat her like it. She was rather thin as seen with her lower ribs sticking out of her abdomen and aside from the burns, she also had sloppily healed or still healing welts on her back. "I should have looked you over yesterday," Khaila scolded herself, hissing at the numerous welts on the girl's bag. "Where did you get these?"

The girl rolled over onto her stomach to allow the doctor better access to her back. "They haven't done it in a long time maybe months now," she started, trying not to move as the young doctor applied medication. "But whenever I would do something to irk them, one of the scientists would bring out his cattle whip. He had his own cattle farm a few miles away from this facility."

"What else did they do to you?" Khaila demanded, her hands shaking in fury.

The raven-haired girl stayed silent for a few moments before enumerating her answers. "Aside from the electrical currents, punch and kick beatings and whippings," she recounted the forms of torture she already mentioned to the doctor. "There was this one time they got particularly annoyed so they chained me inside one of their automobile garages in the winter, which was unheated by the way. Then there was also one time when they didn't give me food or drink the whole day and also that time when-" the girl trailed off when she saw the appalled look on the doctor's face. "Too much?"

"Very," Khaila let out. "Look," she stared at the girl with her emerald green eyes. "How do you want me to call you?"

"What?"

The doctor sighed and sat on the bed's edge. "What name do you want me to call you?" she repeated. "I don't want to call you subject 22018 all the time and neither do I want to refer to you as _the girl_."

"A name?" The girl looked deep in thought. "I have never been named and I have no idea what kind of name I'd like for myself," she told the doctor. "What are those?" she pointed at a cloth sack lying on the floor.

"These are clean clothes for you, but I will keep them here with me. After every session you have, you'll change into these new clothes," Khaila explained as she handed a set of clean clothes to her patient. "I don't want you sleeping in your bloodied clothes. It's not healthy."

"You plan to do all sort of things for me, don't you doctor?" 22018 asked, putting the clothes on the bed and walking up to the submerging chamber for another treatment session.

"I may be required to follow their orders, but I was a doctor and human first before becoming their employee," Khaila said with a smile on her face. "Now what name do you want to be called by?"

The raven-haired girl shrugged.

"You're going to make this difficult for me!" The doctor muttered. She looked at her patient under her lashes. Even in her current battered state, the girl was actually quite attractive. She had long lightly muscled legs, a thin waist, a modest chest and a slender neck. One of the most striking features of her patient was her clear storm-gray eyes aside from her nicely shaped nose and lips that were on its way to becoming full. Then there was that thick mane of straight raven-black hair. "Blake…"

Her patient turned around to look at the doctor questioningly. "Pardon doctor?"

"How about I call you Blake?" she asked her patient. "The name literally means black, dark or pale," Khaila explained, her fingers set under her chin in thought. "It just really suits you," she blurted out, turning away to hide the unexpected heat that came on her cheeks. _Why is she looking at me like that? It's so awkward!_ She thought as she struggled to get rid of the blush on her cheeks.

"You're naming me because of my hair?" the girl inquired.

"Actually," she said with a little hesitance. "I did have plans of naming my child Blake if ever I do get married. I have always thought of it as a nice name." She had no idea why she had said that.

Her patient continued to gaze solemnly at her doctor before finally nodding her head. "It is a good name and I am honored that you are giving the name of your future child to me," she bowed her head in thanks before stepping into the chamber for her daily-submerged treatment.

* * *

"What did they do to you this time?" There was exasperation in Mikhaila's voice upon seeing Blake dropped onto the floor of the infirmary a few weeks later. "Let me guess," she said without waiting for a response from her patient and began to rant out all sorts of possible torturous methods that could have been done on the young girl. Even if her patient just rolled her eyes and stared, she continued to rant because she was already used to her patient's stubbornness. Over the weeks that they have spent with each other inside her infirmary, she had grown accustomed to the girl's cynicism and rather sadistic replies. As she would have expected, her patient gave a sadistic reply in response to her constant ranting. 

"We have been over this several times doctor-"

"Khaila," she interrupted in annoyance.

"Right then Khaila," Blake corrected herself. "You wouldn't need to be hassled by treating me if you had just taken my suggestion." There was hard and cold look in her storm gray eyes.

Khaila could not help herself anymore. She raised her hand and gave the girl a hard slap across her face. She glared at the raven-haired girl who had the beginnings of a shocked look on her face while laying a hand on the afflicted cheek. "Don't you ever speak of that ever again!" she shouted at the girl. "How many times do I have to tell you that I will never take the life of any of my patients?" she demanded from the younger girl. It had hurt her when she and Blake had first delved into this controversial topic several days earlier. "I won't let you die!" Her claim came out a bit wobbly and felt hot wetness in her eyes. Now here was an embarrassing moment; she was crying. She had let her feelings of the matter get the best of her. Mikhaila turned her back on her patient, fell on her knees and buried her head into her hands. She felt her shoulders shake as she sobbed into her hands. _Why am I so affected by this girl?_ Her heart wrenched at the extremes that could happen to Blake. Either she is killed in one of her daily sessions or the organization becomes successful into turning her into a mindless, but genius weapon. She was sure that she did not want any of those futures for Blake. She had to do something now to save her. The tears continued to flow down her face when she suddenly felt a pair of arms encircle her from behind.

"I'm sorry for causing you distress," Blake apologized as she continued to hug the older woman. "I know that you have scolded me so many times about how sharp my tongue is. I promise to control myself better and I will not speak of that matter again in your presence." She withdrew from the doctor and walked into the submerging chamber.

Mikhaila wiped her eyes and watched as Blake floated idly in the liquid full cylindrical chamber. "She has become more human," she realized, walking closer to the glass and laying a tear-moist hand onto its cool surface. _I want her to live a life of a normal girl,_ she decided in her thoughts. She gazed at the sleeping girl on the other side of the glass before making her way into her private room. Khaila opened her closet, fished out her cellphone and dialed in a sequence of numbers. She paced across the floor as she waited for someone to pick up her call.

_"__Lionheart Organization, what could I do for you?"_

"This is Mikhaila Blackthorn," she introduced herself and waited as the person on the other line whispered something incomprehensible to someone else in vicinity. She waited for a few minutes until another voice spoke to her.

_"Miss Blackthorn I did not expect you to report to us using your personal communications device," _A man's voice reverberated on their line. _"I was expecting your weekly report later on__ this week via your usual email messages. Is there a problem?"_

Khaila squared her shoulders and spoke seriously to the officer in charge of this operation. "Sir I know that I was sent in here to spy on this organization and I should not do anything that will endanger my life," she started. "But I believe the Lionheart Organization should intervene and save the life of Blake."

_"Blake?"_ the man questioned. _"Oh you mean the experimental __subject who you name__d recently in your last report. You know that we cannot deviate __from the plan, Miss Blackthorn."_

Mikhaila paced faster in her room. "The plan was to spy on these scientists and see if they come up with anything destructive or threatening to mankind. Haven't you gotten enough from my reports?" she demanded. "If they keep doing this to Blake, they might end up achieving their goal of making her into a weapon! They're doing so many inhumane things to her," she whispered painfully as she remembered each day the two hulking men threw Blake into the infirmary who was in a renewed state of injury and exhaustion.

There was silence on the other line. _"You do know what this can entail, Miss Blackthorn?" _

"I do," she replied firmly. Her mind was set and she was not going to allow the organization hurt Blake anymore.

The man on the other line let out a defeated sigh. _"Alright Miss Blackthorn, we will deviate from the original plan and come up with another one to rescue you and the girl. __I will send you the details of the plan as soon as we have arranged it.__ Report to me your findings at the end of this week."_ There was a beep then silence.

Khaila stared at the phone in her hands before storing it back into her closet. _Now I just have to keep my wits and wait for reinforcements to arrive. _She walked out of her room to peek at Blake who was still in the chamber. _I will save you Blake. I want to see y__ou happy living a life __s__o different from this life you claim you have no control of._

* * *

Mikhaila gaped at her superior. "Pardon, sir?" 

Doctor Redfern frowned impatiently at the sole medical doctor in charge of the infirmary. "I said congratulations," he repeated himself in a cold voice.

"What could have I done to receive your congratulations sir?" The young woman questioned the doctor with a look of innocence painted on her face. Deep down inside, she had grown to despise the man for his inhumanity and the cold-bloodedness he had whenever he would facilitate a session with Blake.

The doctor sneered at the feigned innocence but chose not to pick a fight. "I am congratulating you because you will not be alone in doing your work in the infirmary," he explained with mock patience. "We just approved one of the applicants for a position as a medical assistant." He turned around and began walking away from the young woman. "I expect that you will do better in getting 22018 ready since you have help now. Your assistant will be arriving this afternoon."

"Damn!" Khaila cursed under her breath as she turned the opposite direction and began the short walk back to her infirmary. "Having an assistant complicates things!" She pulled up her sleeve to glance at her watch and quickened her pace. "Got to hurry back," she told herself as she dodged a few scientists in the halls. "Blake is going to be dropped off at the infirmary any time now." Khaila was wrong this time around. The doctor patiently waited around in her infirmary for a good hour when Jamison and Santiago strode through the doors and flung a very bloodied and unconscious Blake onto the floor.

Jamison grimaced as he tried to wipe off the blood that had stained his arms and clothes. "Annoying brat," he spat out. "Where the hell did she learn how to talk back like that?" He glared at the doctor who stared in shock at the bloodied girl on the floor. "You got a lot in your hands now, doc. I've never seen Redfern this cross with 22018."

"You better hope that your new assistant arrives soon," Santiago piped up as he shrugged off his bloodstained coat and slung it over one muscled forearm. "Redfern won't be happy if he finds out that you let 22018 die." The two hulking men exited the room and slid the steel door close behind them.

Khaila had immediately rushed to the fallen girl's side as soon as the door had closed. "Blake!" she cried out in fear. Even in the roughly two months that she had been working in the facility and caring for Blake, she had never been delivered a thoroughly beaten, bloodied and unconscious Blake. Khaila hauled the girl up in her arms and dragged her onto her cold steel operating table. A hasty but thorough examination revealed the horror of her patient's injuries. The girl had obviously been victim to another whipping but this time the welts weren't only on her back but on also on various parts of her body including a particular painful looking one on the side of her neck. She had several fist-sized bruises all over her torso area. One black and purple bruise on the bottom of Blake's ribcage seemed to be swelling larger, which Khaila immediately concluded was a fractured rib caused by either a strong punch or kick. Her eyes bore up the girl's legs then down the girl's arms before the ugly swelling of Blake's wrist caught her experienced eyes. Khaila gently probed the swelling and frowned at her findings. It was another fracture but this time she had no idea what could have caused it; in fact she would rather not think about it anymore. The doctor quickly got to work and prepared her equipment to do surgery on her patient. She just hoped that she was good enough on her own to keep the girl alive.

Almost four hours had passed when Khaila finally finished stitching up Blake's deep cuts and bandaging her fractures and other injuries. She was exhausted from the work since she had not stopped for even a minute to rest in order to save her patient's life. The young undercover woman took a step back and tiredly looked over Blake once more before frowning at her own disheveled appearance. The four hours had really done a lot just by looking at how her hair was mussed and her lab coat and hands stained in blood. The only thing she needed to do before she let herself rest was to carry Blake into a bed and tuck her in. Khaila put one arm under Blake's knees and another behind Blake's upper back and with a grunt lifted the girl off the operating table. She was never known to be physically fit, but she was able to carry Blake to the bed without much difficulty.

"So tired," she said softly as she dropped into a chair set beside Blake's bed. Khaila tiredly reached out and gently brushed away stray locks of raven-black hair on Blake's face. "You better not die on me now after all the work that I've done on you," she ordered the unconscious girl. "You better not die because I won't have you continue living this kind of life," her voice died down to a mumble as she lowered her head onto her arms resting on the side of the bed and fell into a fitful slumber.

She woke up to the sounds of pattering rain on the windowpanes and the swoosh of the door opening. Khaila sleepily looked up to see the Spaniard accompanying a young looking, bespectacled and blonde-haired man entering the infirmary. She eyed the new man and rubbed her eyes to get a clearer look.

"I see that you managed to keep her alive," Santiago commented coldly, looking at the unconscious girl on the bed. "I brought you your assistant doctor," he jerked his head at the shorter and lankier man at his side. "This here is Kyle Leix. I'll leave the two of you to your own getting to know you." The big Spaniard left the both of them in the room.

Khaila stared hard at her new assistant. There was something very familiar looking about him but she just could put a finger on it. When the young man grinned at her and she saw the bright sea green eyes, the identity of her assistant popped into her head. "Since when were you involved with the Lionheart Organization, tiger?"

The young man continued to grin at her as he took off his glasses. "I just started this year and yes I know I'm very young for this kind of job," he replied, striding over to the older woman and sweeping her up in a fierce hug. "I have missed you, Khaila!"

Khaila laughed. "I see you're still as affectionate as ever, my favorite cousin," she commented wryly. "How have you been, Kairos?" she addressed her cousin by his real name. She could never forget her rambunctious cousin whom she always babysat for while she was studying at her apartment for med school. "Looks like you're still living up to the nickname I gave you," she added wryly.

Kairos rubbed the back of his head with a bemused smile on his face. "The nickname tiger suits me because like before, I am still exceptionally good at prowling around and pouncing on unsuspecting targets?" he clarified with her cousin.

"Except that you used to prowl around my apartment space and the unsuspecting target was me." Khaila reached up and ruffled the young man's hair. "You've grown!" she pointed out. "To think you're five years younger than I am and you're probably half a foot taller than I am!"

Kairos gave her a sheepish look and was about to say something when he caught two silver orbs staring at him. "Khaila," he turned her cousin around to see that her patient had woken up. "She's awake already and boy she looks like she was put in a grinder and spat out!" He watched observantly as his cousin walked quickly to the girl's side and examined her. "Is she alright now? I wish I could have helped but you do know that I'm just pretending to be a medical assistant."

Khaila shook her head and rested her palm on Blake's forehead. "As far as I know, Blake's alright. She is getting a little feverish," she noted worriedly, letting out a smile when her patient gently swiped her hand away from her forehead. "How are you feeling, Blake?"

The young girl sank her head into her pillow and grunted out weakly, "Just like what he said although I'd like to say that I feel like I've been chewed up and spat out." She gazed drearily at the other man. "So you're her cousin? I overheard you say that you were just pretending to be a medical assistant, which leads me to my question. What are you doing here?"

Kairos let out a whistle. "You're quite sharp!" he told the girl. He turned to Khaila and asked, "You didn't tell her yet?" He rubbed his forearm when his cousin shook her head. "Well, I'm from the Lionheart Organization and I was sent by break you out of this place. Khaila works part time for the organization and she's the reason why you're being rescued."

"Lionheart Organization?"

Kairos dragged a seat to Blake's bedside and straddled it. "Something like the United Nations but we're not as well known and we're more covert with our activities," he explained in a simpler manner. "Although we have more funds compared to the UN despite being less known."

"Why the sudden interest in me?" Blake asked.

"ShadowLabs has always been on the blacklist of our organization," Kairos replied. "We never really had sufficient evidence to stop their operations that's why Khaila was sent over here to spy for us. The original plan was for Khaila to gather enough evidence then we would storm the facility, but then we added you to our agenda after Khaila convinced our district commander."

Khaila nodded her head to confirm what her cousin had just said. "By the way, when will we carry out the esacpe?"

Kairos raised his eyebrows at his cousin. "Why tonight of course! I can't keep up this façade for any longer," he told both girls. "I've gathered sufficient information that the facility is at its quietest at around eight in the evening so it's the best time for us to sneak out."

"Where are your comrades?" Khaila asked as she straightened the bandages around Blake's injured wrist. "I'm sure the organization wouldn't just send you here on your own to conduct the rescue."

"One of the vanguard units is currently hiding themselves in one of those abandoned factories down the road," Kairos answered. "They'll be covering for us when we get out of the facility." He looked at the weary looking doctor and her equally weary patient. "For now, we have around three hours until then. Think you could spruce Blake up enough so that she'll be able to hold up as we escape?" he asked his cousin. "As for you," he addressed the yawning doctor. "You should probably nap as soon as you spruce Blake up." Kairos shook his head when his cousin tried to protest. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on things while you sleep. Now go on! I don't want you fainting on me while we sneak Blake out!"

* * *

The halls were eerily quiet and dark as three figures silently made their way towards the barren front courtyard of the facility. Kairos, Khaila and Blake stuck to the shadowed areas as to not gather attention. It took them long minutes in the dark as they waited to make sure that no one else was in the vicinity. 

So far, the plan was going as it should be. When Blake was taken back to her room, Khaila and Kairos got everything else ready. At exactly eight in the evening, Kairos and Khaila left the infirmary and made their way to Blake's room. Kairos was lookout as Khaila hurriedly punched in the unlock code on the panel.

Now, they had just cleared the facility and were walking along an unlit area of the courtyard slowly making their way to the heavily guarded gate. The light drizzle that started a few hours ago had already turned into a heavy downpour. Kairos put a finger to his lips and checked the guard station. "They should be changing shifts soon. The rain is doing us good. They'll have a harder time spotting us in the rain," he whispered. "There won't be any guards around in a while which gives us roughly three minutes to get out. Think you can hold up Blake?"

Blake was breathing a bit heavily as she nodded her head. "I can manage. We just have to get through the gate right? I'll be fine," she assured the cousins. She pointed at the movement in the guard station. "Looks like they're changing shifts."

"Alright! Let's get ready." They watched for a few moments until the guard walked off for the barracks. "Come on!" Kairos told his companions. The three of them rushed out of the darkness into the rain and strode towards the gate. "Sweet freedom!" Kairos breathed out just as they reached the gate. All of a sudden, the lights blazed in the courtyard and alarms blared noisily. "Or… maybe not. Get down!" Kairos shoved his cousin and her patient down onto the ground as gunshots rang out in the courtyard.

"Kairos!" Khaila cried out in fear.

"Damn it! Vanguard unit fan out and provide us with cover fire!" he shouted into his walkie-talkie. Almost instantly, gunshots from outside the gate rang out to oppose those who were shooting from inside the facility grounds. For a while, the gunshots seemed to be indistinguishable from the loud pattering of the rain on the concrete. "Hey pilot! Get your copter down here!"

_"Roger that!"_ a static laced voice sounded from the walkie-talkie.

Kairos leaned against the guardhouse and pushed Khaila and Blake lower to the ground. "The chopper will get here in a minute or so!" He reached into his coat pocket and brought out a heavy automatic Beretta gun. He leaned around the guardhouse and open fired on the guards that attempted to approach them. Kairos hid behind the protective wall of the small building and looked up to hear the noisy approach of their chopper. "Go on!" he shouted. "It's going to land just outside this gate! I'll cover the both of you!"

True to Kairos' claim, the chopper indeed landed a few feet away from the gate. Khaila led Blake towards the chopper's open door when a warning issued from Kairos' walkie-talkie blared out. _"Sniper on the roof! Sniper spotted on the roof!"_ the voice yelled. Khaila was already inside the chopper and urging Blake to get on when Kairos yelled out to them. Blake made the mistake to turn around to see what the man was yelling about when a muffled sound rang out from the distance followed by the gruesome sound of ripping flesh as a bullet embedded itself deep into the girl's shoulder. Blood spurted out of the bullet wound as Blake fell onto her knees.

"Blake!" Khaila cried out as she jumped out of the chopper to aid Blake.

Kairos struggled to his feet when he saw what was happening. "Khaila! Stay back!" he shouted. He knew that the sniper would fire at any person who presented himself as an open shot. "Khaila!" he shouted again just as two consequent muffled gunshots resounded. Kairos watched in horror as more blood spurted out but this time from Khaila's chest. "Khaila!"

Blake grit her teeth in pain and in anger at whoever had shot at her. At the shout of warning from Kairos, she was just about to put her body closer to the ground when she heard the all too familiar sounds of the sniper rifle firing his bullets. Blake turned her head just in time to see the bullets rip through the approaching doctor's chest and out through her back. Forgetting her own injury, the raven-haired girl twisted on her knees and lunged forward to catch the doctor in her arms. "Doc? Khaila!" she cried out as she held the woman in her lap, watching in horror as blood began to pool beneath the doctor's slightly raised body.

Khaila smiled weakly as she began to cough out blood. "I hoped," she said weakly, allowing Blake to wipe off the trail of blood that leaked from the corner of her mouth. "I hoped that I would be there to watch you start living a different life from this life you said you could not control." She reached up and gently rubbed the pad of her thumb under one tearful storm-gray eye. "Never…" she said softly. "You never cry so please don't cry!"

"Kairos!" Blake shouted as the young man immediately went to them. "Help me get her into the chopper!" She and Kairos were just about to lift the woman into the chopper when bullets struck the ground a few feet away from them.

"Damn it!" Kairos cursed, getting on his knees with his Beretta gun cocked. He was about to go back to shoot at the guards when he felt a hand weakly gripping him on his arm. He turned and immediately felt overwhelming sadness stir within himself when he saw what his cousin was telling him through her eyes. "There's no other way isn't it?" he asked, bowing his head down.

Khaila nodded her head and looked up at Blake. "I'm sorry that I won't be able to watch you grow and live a life full of pleasure and happiness." She continued to smile up at the girl who protested what she was implying.

"What are you talking about?" Blake asked as she forced a smile on her face. "You're such a bad joker!" she forced out a laugh. "You're coming with us! You are!" Blake shouted, feeling the doctor's blood seep into the cloth of her pants. "Let go of me!" Blake struggled against the strong arms of Kairos who had snuck up behind her. "I won't leave her!"

Kairos had an anguished look on his face. "I'm sorry," he mumbled out in the rain as he swiftly twisted Blake around and delivered a hard punch into the girl's abdomen. He watched as the girl's eyes bulged out then closed as she fell forward in an unconscious state. He caught Blake and handed the girl to a pair of his comrades who had gotten down from the chopper and ordered them to put her aboard. Kairos gazed sadly at the profusely bleeding form of his favorite cousin. "It was so short-lived," he said sadly. "Our reunion… I wanted to have you with me as we helped Blake make a life for herself."

Khaila stared up at the sky as the rain pounded mercilessly against her body. "Go on now, tiger," she ordered her cousin in ragged breathes. She was getting weaker by the minute. "Promise me that you'll look after Blake for me." She gave one more smile as more bullets hit the ground a few feet away from her. She reached up to her neck and pulled out a silver chain with a small silver dragon pendant. "Give this to her for me."

Kairos reached down and took the necklace. "I will do as you wish," he choked out, his eyes bright with unshed tears.

"Go on now, tiger. No crying from you too!"

Kairos gazed sadly at Khaila for a few more moments before jumping into the chopper. "Lift off!" he ordered the pilot and braced himself at the chopper's door, looking down at his cousin drowning in a large puddle of blood and rain. He kept looking until the chopper had taken them over a nearby mountain.

Khaila closed her eyes and listened to the fading sounds emitted by the chopper's swirling blades. The rain continued to patter down on her body, soothing her in a way. She coughed out more blood and clutched at her chest. "Take care of yourself… Blake… Kairos…" The young doctor let out one last breath before her body lay still on the blood-soaked ground.

* * *

Seven girls looked thoughtfully from Kairos to Blake's sleeping form after Kairos had told the last of Blake's horrible past. Each of them had different reactions on their faces. Momomi leaned her head against Kaname's shoulder who had a hard look on her face. Miyuki had her eyes closed and she had a drawn look. Shion looked paler than usual while Chikaru and Amane looked sympathetically at Blake. It was Shizuma who had been the most affected by the story. Her face was drawn, lips were tightly pressed against each other and her hands tightly clasped together on her lap. 

"I never thought that her past would be filled with so much pain and bitterness," Amane commented as she ran a hand through her wet hair.

Kairos sighed and shrugged off his long sleeved shirt, but kept on his sleeveless undershirt. "She taught herself to hide it," he explained. "Ever since I became her guardian, she put it upon herself to be less emotional to the point that she did not empathize with any emotion that came her way." He sadly gazed at his charge then looked again at his companions. "She continues to live with so much regret and bitterness weighing down her heart."

"Because she couldn't save Mikhaila?" Chikaru asked.

Kairos nodded his head in reply. "I knocked her out so that we could escape the facility and when she woke up back in the Lionheart Organization's district headquarters," a rueful smile appeared on his face. "Let's just say that the organization had to shell out money to have the room she was quartered in fixed." His sea green eyes turned dark as he sadly smiled at the girls. "She lost herself in her anger and guilt," he explained. "It took three days before I could finally approach her without getting beaten up by her. Watching her take out her anger on that room was quite scary." Kairos rubbed the back of his head with his hand. "Her angry rampage reminded me of an angry dragon so I started calling her little dragon when she cooled off."

"It's not nice to talk about someone while she's sleeping you know."

Everyone in the large tent turned to stare as Blake slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position, the blankets pooling around her waist. The doctor had done a good job on stitching up the cut on the side of her head and bandaging her upper torso and thigh. She gazed tiredly at the eight pairs of eyes staring at her.

"Kairos," she said with annoyance in her voice. "I thought I told you not share about my past to anyone." She was still quite weary and aching from the previous events. She reached up to her chest and grabbed hold of the silver necklace hanging around her neck.

Kairos bowed his head in apology. "I'm sorry Blake, but you know that you can't hide your past for the rest of your life," he told his charge. "Besides, I was pressed to explain and the situation deemed it necessary."

The raven-haired girl pulled the necklace away from her chest and depressingly gazed at the dragon-shaped pendant in the palm of her hand. "What is the point of living a life that was fought for and given to you?" she asked bitterly, closing her fingers around the pendant. "What's the point of living the life given to you when the person who granted you that chance died an untimely death? I don't deserve this." Blake reflexively braced herself with her hands on the ground as a warm body collided into hers. She looked to the side to see a head of platinum hair buried at her injured shoulder. "Shizuma," Blake sighed out tiredly. "I do not wish to talk about this further," she told everyone in the tent. "I need to sleep."

"Your tent is ready." Sister Hamasaka and the doctor had entered the tent with umbrellas in their hand. "Kairos-san could sleep in this tent for tonight. As for the rest you girls, we brought you umbrellas so that you could get to your tents without getting any wetter from this rain." She and the doctor put the umbrellas down on the ground and bid them all goodnight.

Kairos looked at his charge who sat still as the platinum-haired Etoile continued to keep her face buried in Blake's shoulder. "Do you need any help to get back your tent?" he asked gently. Even if Blake didn't show it, he knew that she was quite annoyed at him for breaking his promise to her.

"It's not necessary," she said rather coldly to Kairos. "I suppose Amane will assist me in getting back to our tent."

Shizuma finally lifted her face away from Blake's shoulder and looked at the equestrian. "Amane I am asking your permission if we could switch tents for this night." It was phrased as if asking permission but it sounded more like a command coming from the Etoile.

The prince of Spica nodded her head and got to her feet. "I will go and gather my things," she answered. "Miyuki-san, it looks like we will be tent partners for this night." She and the Saint Miator student council president took an umbrella and stalked out into the rainy darkness. Chikaru, Momomi and Kaname each took an umbrella, took one last look at Blake before stepping out of the tent.

Blake pulled away from the Etoile and shakily got to her feet. She pressed a hand against her forehead, gritting her teeth as a wave of nausea overtook her. Kairos was about to get on his feet to assist his charge when the Etoile stepped towards Blake and put a supporting arm around the girl's back. "Let's go," she said tiredly as she and Shizuma both stepped out of the tent under the shade of a large umbrella, leaving Kairos to contemplate that night's events.

Shizuma felt a flash of pain tug at her heart as she assisted Blake. She had draped Blake's arm around her shoulders to give her an easier time as they made their way to her tent. During the whole walk, the only sounds that they heard were the rain and the waves crashing against the beach. The raven-haired girl looked straight ahead of her and seemed to be distancing herself from the Etoile despite being side by side.

When they finally crawled into the tent, Blake simply sat on her sleeping bag, facing the tent wall away from Shizuma. "You should change out of your wet clothes," she told the Etoile in a tired voice. "You'll get sick." Facing in opposite directions, both girls got out of their wet clothes and put on dryer ones.

Shizuma struggled to find something to say to the raven-haired girl, but found her throat painfully clenching tight whenever she attempted to say something. She made up her mind and crawled over to Blake and hugged her from behind. "Please…" she pleaded in a soft voice to the other girl. "Don't push me away…"

Blake let out a long sigh and gently laid herself and the Etoile down on their sleeping bags. She put a comforting arm around Shizuma's shoulders and felt the girl cuddle against her aching body. "I always thought that the pain would fade away," Blake whispered as she stared up at the ceiling of their tent. "But the dreams keep coming never making me forget about how I let her life slip through my fingers."

"The pain of losing someone takes a lifetime to remedy," the Etoile replied softly. "I know how you feel because I went through a similar experience when Kaori…" her voice hitched in her throat upon mentioning her deceased lover. "I continue to live a life of regret and bitterness since she left me." Hot tears eked out of her eyes and fell on the raven-haired girl's bare arm.

Nothing else was said between them as Blake pulled Shizuma deeper into her embrace and waited out the time as Shizuma cried into her chest. Blake fell asleep a few minutes after Shizuma had ceased her crying and was breathing deeply as she slept. _I don't want to lose another one._

* * *

Early the next morning, the students all put down their tents and watched in curiosity as the unfamiliar man who had arrived the previous night spoke in a hushed voice with Blake who sat tiredly on the sand. Many of them had witnessed the foreign transfer student being carried into their campsite in a bloody and weakened state. They were all itching to find out what had happened, but Sister Hamasaka had sent them all back to their tents. 

As soon as the sister and the teachers saw that everyone was ready, they led the students back to the hotel and to where the waiting buses were parked. All the students boarded their respective buses except for Blake who rode with Kairos in his car. Some students were able to catch Kairos and Blake talking to each other as the car zoomed past their bus on the road. Others later on saw a sleeping Blake stretched out on the back seat as Kairos calmly drove.

It was close to lunchtime when they arrived at Astraea Hill due to several stopover along the way for breakfast and souvenir shopping. As the student got of their buses and collected their belongings, Kairos parked his car in front of the strawberry dormitories and assisted Blake as she got out of the car. The raven-haired girl looked every bit as weary as she limped up the front door steps with Kairos at her side carrying her duffel bag.

Blake fell heavily onto her bed when she and Kairos reached her room. Her eyelids drooped down and before he knew it, she was asleep again. She woke up several hours later to see that she had a few visitors in her room. Kairos stood by her bedside watching as the resident doctor looked her over once again. She glanced at her wristwatch and realized that it was already close to five in the afternoon.

"She still has some traces of the drug in her system," the doctor concluded as she put away her stethoscope and blood testing tools. "That's probably the reason why she's been sleeping a lot. Her body's way of fighting the drug is through sleeping."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation as a worried looking Shizuma and Miyuki allowed themselves into the room. "How is she?" Shizuma asked, smiling at Blake.

Kairos bowed a greeting to both girls before answering, "She's still weary from everything that happened and the doctor just informed me that she still has traces of the drug in her system, which is keeping her weak.

"She will be alright though?" Shizuma persisted. "Come graduation practice, she'll be well enough to practice with us and go through the graduation commencement exercises?" Miyuki also nodded her head to what Shizuma mentioned and waited for a reply from either Kairos or the doctor.

"She'll be well enough by that time," the doctor chose to speak. "She just needs another dose of that medicine you made me inject into her last night." She waited as Kairos brought out another vial of the medicine and handed it over to the doctor.

Shizuma walked over to Blake's bedside and grasped the girl's hand reassuringly as the doctor, injected the medicine into her bloodstream. "When you wake up, we'll have breakfast together and I'll take you out for a relaxing walk," the platinum-haired girl said.

Blake smiled sleepily up at the Etoile. "I look forward to it." The girl closed eyes and almost immediately fell into a deep slumber in the presence of her guardian, the doctor and the two student leaders from Saint Miator.

Kairos cleared his throat and motioned for them to leave. "She needs sleep," he told them with a gentle smile on his face. "Don't worry though, I'll take care of her. I need to keep an eye on her symptoms just in case the drug has any other side effects on her," the green-eyed man assured them. "You can come visit her tomorrow morning." He watched as Shizuma stroked the cheek of Blake before making her way out of the room with Miyuki at her side and the doctor right behind them. The doctor glanced back at Kairos for a second before closing the door behind her.

The blonde and green-eyed guardian let out a long sigh as he stepped towards the window and gazed outside. Things were more complicated than they seemed and he was now faced with a very complex dilemma. The information that they had received from an unknown informer had indeed been reliable, but they had not taken the right precautions, which could have prevented what happened last night.

Kairos was lucky that the medical team of the organization had come up with that drug specifically made for Blake. When Blake had been rescued from the facility, the doctors of the Lionheart Organization conducted a thorough examination of her. They had found out from it that Blake still had small amounts of the various concocted drugs in her bloodstream and it was causing her occasional pain, nausea and weakness. The doctors had labored for over three days to come up with a drug that would eradicate all foreign traces in her bloodstream. It was a good thing that Kairos had always carried a few vials of the drug with him for emergencies.

The guardian frowned as he turned to gaze at his sleeping charge. Reality was that Blake's life was once again in mortal danger. Whoever that ShadowLabs scientist was, he was still out there probably plotting another scheme on Blake and the Lionheart Organization. Kairos honestly did not want Blake to go through more experiences similar to that from her past. He had promised Khaila that he would take care of Blake and help her live out an ideal life as compared to the life that she was forced to live in the past. The blonde-haired man let out another sigh as he smoothed away locks of Blake's raven-black hair away from her face. He had to keep that promise to Khaila at all costs even if he knew what the consequences would be.

"I am sorry Blake, but I am left with no other choice."

* * *

It was raining again the next morning and a group of familiar student leaders all clad in different uniforms gazed sadly at the courtyard. The rain suited that day's mood as they watched their platinum-haired friend on her knees getting drenched by the rain on the hard cobblestone ground. Her shoulders shook as she held something tightly against her chest. Silent tears flowed down her smooth alabaster cheeks as a long silver chain slipped out of the confines of clasped hands and dangled idly in the air. The other girls knew in their heavy hearts that their Etoile had once again lost another love while the rest of them had lost a friend.

* * *

* * *

_**Another chapter up! I just finished my first exam earlier today and i only have one more on wednesday. I assure all of you that I will start on the next chapter as soon as i get back home from school on wednesday. for now, i hoped you all enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next arc of this story in the following chapters!**_

_**vampknight364: Thanks again for reviewing!**_

_**DonnaUotani: Getting more and more thrilling? hehe! well, i'd like to keep the readers at the edge of their seats! hope you enjoyed this chapter!**_

_**loorlover: i'm glad that you see my point when it comes to those moments when you think something is supposed to happen but it doesn't! hehe! thank you for your compliment regarding my writing. i am truly flattered. i suppose you have lived through the suspense and read this chapter. hehe. and i'm sorry about leaving you hanging just like that in the last chapter. unfortunately, you're left hanging once again at this chapter! haha!**_

_**next chapter: future, getting through what remains of life, familiar face. **_


	14. Living an Empty Life

**_Second Arc_**

_Chapter 14: Living an Empty Life_

An entry taken from the journal of Blake Saberhart…

_I can certainly say that a lifetime has gone by for me. In just a few weeks, it will be five years since I was abruptly taken away from that life of mine. These past five years… they have felt like a lifetime of useless waiting and fruitless searching. I hardly even remember what had happened after realizing that I would not be able to find what I was searching for I do remember the seething anger I held against Kairos. Who wouldn't be angry? He did it again… he prevented me from doing what I wanted to do. When he knocked me out to get me out of that god-forsaken facility and left Mikhaila behind, I had forgiven him in three days time. My characteristics of being young and stubborn could have meant the extinguishment of my life and the lives of others who had risked everything to save me. Of course, the bitterness, regret and guilt did not live my heart because I could not save the woman who had risked the most to give me another chance with life. Kairos kept and continued to keep his promise to his deceased cousin by signing on as my guardian and providing me things that I never had when I was still known as experimental subject 22018. He and the other members of the organization provided me with companionship, food, shelter, education and many other things that many can only dream of having_

_Kairos and the organization stayed true to their promise and obligation to me; they sent me to an educational institution. Honestly, that short year was the best time of my life. I gained new friends, new perceptions, new lessons and most of all I met the person whom I fell in love with. Everything was going well until that blasted, thought-to-be-dead organization nearly killed me. I had thought I was going to graduate with my friends… with _her_ after I had recovered, but Kairos deceived me. I had woken up in a completely different environment. Gone were the dormitory room and the sprawling estates of Astraea Hill I remember storming out of the fully furnished room and ordering the first person I encountered to take me to Kairos. He was having a meeting with the board members of that particular branch of the organization when I burst through the doors and slammed my fists on the table he was sitting on. Later on, a few of my friends recounted that the blood drained out of each board member's face after listening to me curse so loudly and brashly in public. They tried to explain why Kairos had chosen to take me away and brought me back to Switzerland, but I wouldn't have any of it. Once again I lost myself in my anger never uttering a word or even looking at my guardian for the next twenty-two months. I kept to myself during that whole time and thankfully, Kairos and the others knew better than to try to approach me. My heart became like iceas I took up my Japanese swords or just my fists and released my pent up anger through fighting. The organization would not let me step a foot out of their premises for fear of the ShadowLabs remnants. They restricted me from getting information about my friends from back in Japan. The time I waited in isolation was about to reach two years when Kairos attempted to talk to me. I refused to communicate and this eventually angered him. It was the first time that Kairos and I exchanged heated words at each other. Words weren't the only things exchanged between us…_

* * *

"How long are you going to sulk?" Kairos trailed his raven-haired charge as the girl tried to escape him. "Why won't you understand my reasons for taking you away from Japan?" he demanded and stopped abruptly when Blake snapped around and glared at him angrily. They were in the outdoor courts of the organization where the members could play sports, practice their martial arts and do other activities. The armory was also in that vicinity. 

There was a menacing look in Blake's eyes as she stared at her guardian. "Get this into that thick skull of yours!" she shouted, caring less for the people who had stopped in their tracks to witness this. "The hell I understand your intentions or reasons for taking me away! You did it again and this time you deliberately did something to me so that I would not be able to protest!" Blake's fists tightly clenched at her sides were shaking so much in her anger.

A dark shadow seemed to befall Kairos' face. "Watch your tone, young lady," he growled out the warning. "You are reaching the limits of my vast patience."

"Watch my tone my ass!" Blake spat out. "Next time you go off warning me about making your oh-so-vast patience run out, you better think first before taking control of my life without asking me about it first!" Blake stood her ground as her guardian strode forward and grabbed the front of Blake's shirt.

Kairos glared down at Blake's face. "You are an immature and selfish brat. Everything is always about you!" Kairos growled out in a low voice. "How selfish and self-centered can you be? It cannot always be you who has to be right! So grow up!" He shoved Blake back, turned on his heel and was walking towards the building when he heard his charge shout an order. He was by a large tree when he turned to see what the girl was up to this time.

"Swords!" Blake barked at one of the men shining two Japanese Katanas on his lap on the front steps of the armory. The man did not waste time and flung both unsheathed blades towards the livid raven-haired girl. The few people present in the vicinity gaped in awe and shock as the girl caught both the twirling and dangerous blades by their grips. Lightly tossing one katana up in the air, she grabbed it again with a different grip and launched it across the courtyard towards Kairos. People gasped as the blade sunk into the tree, a handful of inches away from Kairos' body. "Take the sword," Blake ordered in an icy tone, pointing her own sword at her guardian.

The blonde-man stared at Blake for a few seconds before gripping the embedded sword and powerfully yanking it out with a spray of bark. "I am going to teach you a lesson in humility and respect!" Kairos shouted as he sprinted towards Blake with the sword raised above his head.

Their swords collided with a loud, screeching clash of metal against metal. Blake immediately pulled back and unexpectedly sliced vertically up with her sword in her fury, catching her guardian off guard who sloppily blocked her attack. The raven-haired girl continued her ruthless attack by lunging forward, thrusting her sword at Kairos' midsection and allowing the older man to parry her attack. The look on Blake's face was hard as she sidestepped her guardian's counter attack and connected a hard low kick at his calves.

Kairos felt his sweat pour down his face as he struggled to keep his balance after receiving a kick to his calves. He knew that Blake was at her deadliest when she was infuriated. The blonde-haired man jumped back to evade a fatal strike to his head and gripped his sword with both hands. With a feral cry, he lunged forward and swung his sword in a horizontal strike. His muscles bulged at the power he put in his swing but connected with nothing but air. Kairos snarled in frustration as he watched Blake lightly landing on her feet after flipping back to avoid his attack. The girl feigned an attack on his right and seemed to move almost immediately across the space between them to slice mercilessly at him. Kairos stumbled back with his hand on the deep cut on his shoulder and with his sword positioned protectively before his chest. He grit his teeth hard as he struggled to parry and defend against the relentless attacks of Blake who still kept a cold and hard look on her face. He was losing space fast as he glanced at his surroundings. Blake's attacks did not allow him to attack back and instead made him continuously back away.

Suddenly the girl slashed upward again with her sword and Kairos' sword arm was knocked away from the ideal position to defend his body. Without hesitation, he watched as Blake immediately surged forward and kneed his stomach hard with her right knee. Blood spurted out of his mouth as he gasped out in pain. Kairos twisted his body around and attempted to hack at Blake with a downward slash, but was met with a never before seen disarm move that wrenched his sword out of his grip. The Japanese katana went flying into the air as Blake jumped up to grab it with her free outstretched hand. She seemingly landed on the ground like a falling feline, the muscles on her legs flexing as her heels clicked against the ground before rushing forward with both swords.

Kairos kept his eyes open thinking that his charge was set to take his life when the intersection of the crossed blades abruptly stopped a mere few centimeters away from his neck. He stared at his charge with renewed feeling. "Here I thought you were going to give in to your anger and do away with my life," he said softly, not moving an inch.

There was still anger on Blake's face as she stared back at her guardian, but now there was mostly pain and disbelief. "Why did you do it? Why did you take me away from them? From _her?" _she demanded in a loud voice. "You took away my happiness and you deceived me!" The pain was evident in her voice.

"I was left with no choice, Blake," the green-eyed man explained.

"Who said that it was your choice?!" Blake shouted, the blades clinking together in her anger.

"I had to keep a promise!" Kairos shouted back. "I promised her that I would protect you and ensure that you live a life devoid of all those things you experienced when you were younger!"

Blake finally lowered the blades but kept them in her hands. "And protecting me entails taking away my happiness when deemed necessary?" she coldly clarified. "I doubt that is what Mikhaila wanted for me." She ploughed both of the swords into the concrete ground, letting it sink several inches before relinquishing her grip on them. "You sicken me." Blake glared at her guardian and walked into the opposite direction.

"I did not do it for you alone!" Kairos shouted. "I did not do it solely to protect you! That's why you're still a selfish and immature brat, Blake!" he continued to shout out, as the girl got further away. "I did it to protect you and to protect those girls you left behind! Do you think ShadowLabs would be stupid enough not to pull a move on them if you continued to stay there? Innocent people may have lost their lives just like Mikhaila!" The older man clutched at his bleeding wound as the girl entered the building and slammed the doors behind him. He sat down hard on the ground as members who witnessed the fight rushed to his aid. "Why are you so stubborn?" Kairos muttered as two men carried him off to the infirmary.

* * *

_I remember that I was allowed off the premises of the Lionheart Organization later on that night. Kairos never admitted that he had asked the administration to let me go or that he knew where I had planned to go. No one followed me as I commuted via bus to the nearest international airport and got myself on the earliest flight to_ _Japan. I did not have any trouble at all despite not having a single cent with me. The airline simply gave me a ticket upon seeing my presented identification card with the Lionheart Organization logo. I did not sleep at all during the twelve-hour flight. The flight attendants constantly offered me refreshments and tried to make me comfortable but nothing made me sleep. They finally halted their approaches on me except for one young stewardess who offered me a leather-bound journal and a pen. To this day, I continue to use this journal as a means of expression. I used up the time to write about everything that has happened to me from the days I was in the ShadowLabs facility up until the whole year I spent on Astraea Hill. It was a little bit past eight in the morning when the plane taxied to a stop at its assigned gate. Immigration was not a problem although I did need a change of clothes. Fortunately, there was a clothing store in the airport where I was able to pick up a simple outfit including a pair of sneakers. I walked out of the public restroom in jeans and a three-fourths white collared shirt. The weather made me roll up the sleeves further up my arm though. I honestly thought that transportation would be the problem as I stepped out of the airport. To my surprise, a suited man standing beside a familiar motorcycle waved me over…_

* * *

"You are?" Blake asked in Japanese as she shook hands with the brown-haired man. 

"Akira Kurosawa," he introduced himself. "I'm the brother of Doctor Jun Kurosawa," he elaborated and warmly smiled at the tall girl who was almost at the same height as he was.

Blake attempted to return the smile, but could not since the question in her mind blurted out of her mouth. "What are you doing here?"

The fortyish Japanese man continued to smile and patted the shiny black surface of the Harley Davidson Motorcycle's fuel tank. "I was spending a few days over with my sister when an unknown person called her up and told her that you were arriving." He grabbed the helmet on the seat of the bike and held it out to Blake. "My sister obviously likes you because she sent me to provide you with transportation to wherever it is you are going," he informed her. "She would not tell me why though."

Some of the ice in Blake's heart chipped off because of what Doc had done for her. "I am grateful," she thanked the man with a low bow before straightening and taking the offered helmet to her. "Please relay my thanks to Doc for me." Blake put the helmet on, straddled the bike and ignited the engines.

Akira Kurosawa stepped back and bowed to Blake. "I will do that and it was a pleasure to finally meet you." He hailed a passing cab, got in and without further ado drove off towards the highway.

Blake was about to rev the engine and follow the cab to the highway when she realized that she did not remember how to get to Astraea Hill. It had been almost two years since she was last in Japan. She was just about to look for a stall with maps when an elderly airport security guard approached her with an easy smile on his face.

"Good morning miss," he greeted politely. "The man you were talking to a while back told me to give this to you if ever you looked like you were lost." He handed over a folded up piece of paper then walked away.

The raven-haired girl tipped her helmet visor up, unfolded the paper and looked to see directions on how to get to Astraea Hill. There was even a small note at the bottom that it would probably take her around an hour and a half to two hours to get there. Blake memorized the directions and pocketed the paper before kicking up the kickstand and twisting the gas handle bar hard. The motorcycle roared as she zoomed out of the airport and onto the highway.

When the familiar tree-covered hill appeared on the horizon, Blake could not help but feel tense. She turned the motorcycle up the steep road surrounded by the heavy cover of trees. She was sure that even at that distance from the schools the students would be able to hear the fierce roar of her motorcycle engines as she powered up the hill. Once Blake broke out of the dense cover of the trees and onto the familiar flat cobblestone ground, she sped along the pathway towards the oldest and historic building of Astraea Hill. As expected, there were numerous students outdoors and they all moved away as she rode closer and closer to Saint Miator Academy. The raven-haired girl slowed the Harley to a full stop at the front courtyard of the school just as a gray-haired nun in a simple black habit strode out of the building with a hard look on her face.

"You there!" she shouted over the roar of the engines. "You are trespassing and I suggest that you take your leave before I call security to escort you out of here." The nun watched the rider turn off the engines, kick down the kickstand and get off the bike. She was just about to tell the students who had gathered in the courtyard to get to their classes when the familiar face of a raven-haired girl with storm-gray eyes appeared from beneath the raised helmet.

Blake Saberhart set the helmet onto the seat of the motorcycle before regarding the nun with a slight nod of her head. She saw the sister's eyes soften when she recognized who she was. "Good morning Sister Hamasaka," she greeted with a bow.

The nun let out a long sigh and absently patted the tight bun behind her head. "It's been quite a while Blake-san," she returned the greeting with a bow of her own. "What brings you here?"

"To have my questions answered," Blake replied, ignoring the looks and sounds of recognition that came from several of the students in the courtyard. "I would have came earlier than this to get the answers, but I was imprisoned by my guardian and his organization."

"Hmmm," Sister Hamasaka put a hand on her chin as she thought. She turned to the students and barked a sharp order, "I believe you all have classes to attend to. Scat!" Once the students disappeared into the school building, she motioned for Blake to follow her into the building. "We could talk in one of the offices inside," she told the former foreign transfer student.

Blake silently followed the elderly nun through the main lobby of the Saint Miator building and into the school halls. A few students were still in the hallways and some pointed at Blake in question while others did it in recognition. The raven-haired girl chose to ignore the looks thrown at her and continued inside the empty office that sister Hamasaka led her in to. Only when the both of them were seated comfortably in their chairs did Blake ask the most important question.

"What happened to Shizuma…" Blake paused for a second as she thought of the proper word to say. "…when I left abruptly?"

The sister leaned back into her chair and looked sadly at now older girl. "She was devastated of course. Hanazono-san searched all over the campus for you when she realized that you were missing." The nun recounted how Shizuma had faithfully gone to Blake's room early the next morning to take her to the cafeteria for breakfast. She had knocked on the door for a few minutes already before trying the doorknob and realizing that it was open. She had not expected the room to be completely devoid of your things. "She searched for you, but you were already in the skies travelling to another country," the nun shook her head. "By that time, the others had gotten wind of your disappearance including our resident doctor."

Blake asked another question. "She knew didn't she? The drug that Kairos gave her to inject in me when we just came back from that summer trip was in fact mixed with another drug to prolong my sleep. He would have informed her about it."

The old sister nodded her head. "Yes. She admitted it to me after Kairos had sneaked you off Astraea Hill in the dead of night," she confirmed with Blake. "Before Kairos did leave with you in tow, he gave your necklace to the doctor to give to Shizuma." She continued to explain how Shizuma ended up in the courtyard several hours later fruitless in her search. That was when the doctor chose to give the necklace to Shizuma. "She broke down in the courtyard and stayed there even when it started to rain. Your friends could do nothing to help her."

Blake contemplated on what she just heard from the sister's lips. Aside from Kairos taking her away without permission, she was also angry with him for not considering the former Etoile and her other friends' feelings. "Where can I find her?" she asked then frowned when the nun shook her head.

"Most of your friends did not leave any information regarding where they are going after they graduated," she explained regrettably. "Why not ask the Etoile? After all she was the partner of one of your friends," she gestured at the door. "Unfortunately, I will not be able to accompany you for I have work to finish. I am sure you are still familiar with Astraea Hill and that you will be able to find the Etoile on your own."

Blake stood up from her seat and bowed deeply in gratitude to the formidable nun before heading out of the room. She had just closed the doors behind her when the school bell began to toll signaling the end of classes and the start of lunch. Within a half minute, the stairs and halls were starting to fill with students clad in the familiar long-sleeved black dressed and green ties. Blake frowned as many of the students stopped in their tracks and took their time to stare at her until a voice called from atop the stairs.

"Blake-sempai? Is that you?"

The raven-haired girl tilted her head upward to see a salmon-haired girl and a light blue-haired girl hurry down the stairs towards her. A certain memory of a girl bumping into Blake in the cafeteria line flashed in the girl's mind. "Nagisa-chan, right?" Blake offered a small smile at both girls. She noted that both girls seemed to be more mature than they looked after the two years that she had been away.

"So it is you!" Nagisa cried out happily, a little bit annoyingly for Blake's mood. "What brings you back here to Astraea Hill? We were told that you had to leave due to some important matters and that it would make you miss your graduation."

Blake rubbed her upper arm thoughtfully. "Well you're right about that," she admitted. "Would you be able to confirm with me if Hikari-chan is still the Etoile around here?"

Tamao Suzumi nodded her head. "It's her last year as Etoile despite being only in her fifth year," Tamao explained. "The Etoile Election will be held again this year."

Blake nodded her head and gave a hard stare at all the students looking at her. Her look worked thankfully since most of the students scattered. "Would you happen to know where she is? I need to ask her a few questions before I leave."

The salmon-haired girl replied, "Hikari-chan is usually at the greenhouse at this time taking care of the flowers. Would you want Tamao-chan and I to accompany you?"

"No need," Blake answered politely. "I will go on my own. I thank you for remembering me and helping me out." She bowed to both girls before striding out the exit and towards the greenhouse. Hikari was the only one who could probably tell her what happened to her friends and perhaps even tell her more about Shizuma. It took her less than five minutes to reach the familiar glass structure. Blake entered, walked down the narrow path and up the small flight of stairs to see two girls in the Spica uniform seated at the table. The girl with long and wavy light beige hair spotted her first with a surprised look on her face.

"Blake-sempai?"

Blake smiled at an older Hikari Konohana while the ebony straight-haired Yaya Nanto twisted in her seat to look at what her best friend was gawking at. "It's been a while, Hikari-chan," she greeted both the girls with another bow.

"Please sit! I'll brew some tea!" Hikari gestured at the empty chair between her and Yaya before getting out of her chair to prepare the tea. "I am quite surprised that you are here, Blake-sempai!" she continued their conversation as she gathered the ingredients for the tea and heated a pot of water. "We were told that you had to attend to other business and had to miss the graduation, but I heard later on that you were taken away against your will."

Blake nodded her head as Hikari brought over the steaming teapot and poured her a cup. "I take it that Amane told you?"

"Yes," the Etoile confirmed. "After you left, she would tell me about how your sudden departure affected them especially Shizuma-sama." Yaya nodded her head to the story after taking a generous sip of her tea.

"Could you tell me about what happened to Shizuma after I left? You were a fellow student of hers, her successor and Amane was also a friend of hers," Blake asked as she let the hot teacup warm her hands; they had grown cold upon hearing that Shizuma had been really affected by her disappearance.

Hikari set her cup down on the table and gathered her thoughts. "She was depressed for a week. She would not leave her room and her friends would have to bring her food because of her sheer depression. When she, Miyuki-san and Tomori-san graduated, Shizuma-san simply disappeared. None of us know where she went off too except for maybe Miyuki-san although we aren't so sure too about her whereabouts."

Blake let out a sigh. She was no closer to reaching the former Etoile. "How about Amane? Do you still keep in contact with her?"

Hikari nodded her head. "Only through letters though. She is travelling around the world with her family for a year or two as a graduation gift and as a way to search for a new home and possible universities," she informed her older sempai. "If you like, you could write her a letter right here and I could mail it to her for you the next time she sends me one."

Blake smiled at the girl and accepted the pen and paper that Yaya held out for her. She wrote a brief letter to Amane asking her if she had any idea where Shizuma was or who she could ask about her. She also left her cellphone number and asked her to call her when she could. With the letter safe in Hikari's hands, Blake pushed herself out of her chair and bid both girls goodbye. "I thank you for your kindness and I hope to see you soon."

* * *

_I traveled back to Zurich that night hoping that Hikari would be able to send my letter and that Amane would receive it. In the span of time I waited for an answer, I slowly rekindled my friendship with Kairos. I had chosen to visit him in the hospital ward of the organization when I got back from the airport. He and I had a lengthy talk about everything that had happened between us and what I had learned from going back to Japan. He was truly sorry for taking me away from Shizuma, my friends and my happiness, but he still firmly believed that he was right in doing it to protect me, the people on Astraea Hill and the Lionheart Organization. I could not stay angry with him any longer. Two years is a long time and I could not bear not to talk to him any longer than that. Kairos was and still is my first best friend and older brother to me. Two more years had gone by and I had not yet received a letter or a phone call from Amane. During that time, Kairos announced to me that the threat of a possible attack from the remnants of the ShadowLabs organization had dissipated and that we were going to move in with his younger sister, Jez at her large apartment in New York City. When I sat in the first class section of the plane bound for New York, I had locked the photo album filled with pictures of my memories on Astraea Hill and asked Kairos to keep it for me. He wondered why there was a reason for me to padlock the album as the plane took off from the runway and into the night sky. I simply told him that it was time for me to move on. Moving to New York City was going to be the beginning of a new life for me, but I never expected it to be as empty as it is now._

* * *

"Go out for a walk, Blake." 

Blake Saberhart looked up from her document-strewn desk. In the five years that had passed, she looked similar to what she had looked like in the pat except that her raven-black hair had grown a bit longer despite the haircuts that she had gone through. The structures of her face specifically her cheeks and jaw line was sharper and more refined, making her look more mature. Her physical build was almost the same except that Kairos had mentioned she had grown an inch and that she had lost a bit of weight. The young woman frowned at the blonde-haired man sitting behind the only other desk in their office. "There's still a lot of work to do, Kairos." She and Kairos had their own office in the Lionheart Organization branch in New York City.

Kairos shifted his reading glasses up his nose and stared at his charge. "You're still young at twenty-three Blake," he pointed out. The guardian had not changed much despite being twenty-eight years old. He too had grown his sand blond hair to a few inches below his earlobes. "You're not meant for office work so go out and take a walk. Bring me back some ice cream!" he ordered as Blake finally stepped around her desk and towards the door. "We'll be having dinner out with Jez and her model friend tonight so go off somewhere unexpectedly."

Blake rolled her eyes. "Yes Kairos," she drawled and closed the office door behind her. She was hoping that Kairos would not remind her about the dinner. Blake liked Jez just fine but the friends that she kept just seemed so fake.

Jez Leix, she had changed her surname from Blackthorn to that so that it would be more appropriate for the fashion industry, was now a fashion designer still trying to get to the top of the fashion world. She, Blake and Kairos shared her spacious four bedroom, two bathroom, one kitchen, multi-purpose living room and attic turned fashion studio apartment. Jez had the same green eyes and blonde hair of Kairos but opted to look different and fashionable by streaking her hair with auburn-red hair dye. When she had picked Blake and Kairos up from the airport, Blake almost thought that she was looking at another Mikhaila Blackthorn. The young fashion designer, two years older than Blake was a recently self-proclaimed bisexual. Kairos had not taken it in smoothly unlike how he had done so when Blake was with Shizuma. The problem with Jez was that she had little talent for distinguishing and picking the right boy or girl that would not abuse her or take her for granted. In that year alone, she had dated and dumped three boys and four girls. She had once languished at Blake about being so unlucky when it came to love after just breaking up with the last girl who was a model. Blake assumed that the model friend that Jez was bringing over was probably a new girl she was interested in. Jez had also tried her luck with Blake, but immediately backed off when Kairos warned her.

Blake let out a sigh as she stepped out onto the crowded sidewalk while glancing up at the cloudless skies. It was not the first time that Kairos had sent her out on a walk. Her guardian was right about her not being suited for office work. She was an efficient worker but got bored and frustrated easily because of the drab lifestyle of an office environment. In the past few weeks that Kairos had been sending her out, he would also order her to buy him some ice cream for compensation. Blake snaked through the crowded sidewalk towards her usual hangout place. There was a quaint residential park a few blocks away and she always loved to stroll through its paved paths and watch the neighborhood children play. The human traffic out on the streets of New York was heavier than usual so it took Blake longer than usual to get to the park.

She was walking along a particular route carved through a small forest of trees beside the pond when Blake caught the sounds of faint crying. "Who is that?" Blake said aloud as she searched her surrounding area. "It sounds like a kid." The raven-haired girl, in her favorite office outfit of a long-sleeved collared white shirt with a black vest on top and comfortable black pants, stepped off the path and walked among the trees getting closer and closer to the source of crying. Blake stepped around another tree when she spotted a young boy with blue-black hair sitting against a tree with his head buried in his knees. _Well this is a first for me!_ Blake thought to herself as she slowly approached the boy and squatted before him. "Hey little guy, are you alright?"

The boy looked up and gazed at the unfamiliar woman's face with sad and tearful eyes. He looked to be about four or five years old and was wearing jean shorts and a cute little t-shirt with a teddy bear imprinted on it. He could barely get a word out because of all the crying he was doing.

"Oh now calm down," Blake cooed gently and held her arms out to him. "Come on, I'll buy you an ice cream cone. I bet that would make you feel better!" She continued to hold her arms out and smile at the little boy until he pushed himself to his feet and hugged Blake around the neck. "That's a good boy!" Blake got to her feet and carried the somewhat calmer boy back onto the path and towards a parked ice cream truck in another area of the park. Blake held the little boy in her arms and had him pick whatever ice cream he wanted before ordering one for herself. "Are you feeling better?" Blake finally asked when the both of them sat on a nearby bench enjoying their ice cream. "Can you tell me why you were by yourself?"

The boy nodded his head and set the ice cream cup on his lap. He was about to speak when Blake gently wiped the boy's mouth, chin and cheeks with her handkerchief. "Thank you," the little boy told his savior shyly. "I went exploring."

"Exploring you say? Were you with your parents before you decided to go exploring?" Blake asked with a smile on her face. She had decided that she would not leave the boy until she found his parents or nanny.

The boy shook his head and pointed outside of the park. "School."

"Aren't you too young for school? Do you mean play school?" Blake questioned again as she tossed her empty cup of ice cream into a nearby trashcan.

"Play with kids over there. Teacher let us out early but mommy did not come so I went exploring but got lost," he explained in a high but cute voice. He looked up at Blake's face with a toothy grin. "Can we get more ice cream?"

Blake could not help but laugh at the charming little boy. "Sure but only if you tell me what your name is." She stood up and held out her arms to the boy who eagerly jumped back into her arms.

"My name is Ryuusuke Fierro," he informed Blake cheerfully as they made their way back to the ice cream truck for a second round of ice cream. This time the blue-black haired Ryuusuke got a chocolate popsicle. "Down!" Ryuusuke said. "I'm a big boy!" he insisted as Blake put him down on the ground. The little boy though grabbed hold of Blake's hand with his free hand.

"Can I call you Ryu?" Blake asked as she led the boy to the only play school she knew in the area. "You're Japanese and?"

The boy shook his head. "I'm Japanese!" he insisted.

Blake continued to smile at the boy as they headed out of the park and waited at the curb for the pedestrian light to signal them to walk. "But your last name is Italian," she pointed out gently as they boy bit and swallowed the last of his popsicle. "Here let me throw that for you." Blake took the offered popsicle stick and discarded it then dropped on her knee to once again wipe the chocolate stained face of the little boy. "So your daddy must be Italian."

"Daddy's Japanese too!"

Blake scratched her head in confusion and was about to tell the boy that a Japanese man can't be Italian when a woman's shout made her look up from her kneeling position.

"Ryuusuke!"

The little boy turned her back on Blake and immediately started running down the sidewalk. "Mommy!" he cried out as he lunged into the arms of blue-haired woman. "You did not come to pick me up!" he wailed but without any tears.

The blue-haired woman hugged her son tightly and stroked his hair. "I'm so sorry Ryuusuke! The traffic was really bad," she cooed at him. "Next time, just wait inside for me. Who brought you back here?" She looked at the direction where her son was pointing.

Blake got to her feet and walked towards the mother and son pair. She wanted to get a better look at the mother and say goodbye to Ryu when she suddenly felt her legs freeze up. The mother was now looking at her with the same surprised expression that Blake most probably had on her face. Blake stared hard at the young mother's appearance and noticed long straight blue-black hair that fell to her mid-back and deep hazel brown eyes. "Miyuki?" she asked with an incredulous tone in her voice.

The other woman seemed to have the same reaction too and called out doubtfully, "Blake?"

Ten minutes later, the two old friends sat at a small local café down the same street where the play school was located. They sipped their hot beverages for a few moments and took some time to watch Ryuusuke sit on the counter talking in a highly animated matter with the teenaged barista.

"I didn't know that you were living in this area," Blake broke the silence, while stirring her coffee absently. "I'm even more surprised that you already have a son."

Miyuki Rokojou gave Blake a tired smile. "It's only been five years Blake when I shared to you and our friends that I was engaged and getting married as soon as I graduated. Ryuusuke came along pretty quickly because you know how traditional families are with producing heirs," she explained as waved at her son from her seat.

"You are married to an Italian?"

The former Saint Miator student council president gave her a crooked smile. "Jin is half Japanese and half Italian," she explained. "His father's an Italian businessman who married a Japanese woman."

"Oh," Blake let out sheepishly. "Your son was confusing me when I asked him to explain. Are you residing in New York, Miyuki?"

"We're living in Jin's condominium building for now since our family home is still being constructed in the other neighborhood." Miyuki stared into the steaming clear green liquid in her cup before finally asking, "Where have you been Blake? Do you know how devastated Shizuma was when you just disappeared all of a sudden?"

Blake leaned back against her chair and sighed. "I heard about it. It took me two years to be let out of the Lionheart Organization branch in Switzerland to find out about things back in Japan," she told Miyuki tiredly. "I was too late though." She recounted the events that had taken place when she had travelled back to Japan namely her talk with Sister Hamasaka and her talk with Hikari. "Hikari promised that she would send the letter to Amane, but I never received a reply or a phone call from her so I pretty much gave up on seeing Shizuma again." Blake looked hopefully at Miyuki. "Do you know where she is?" she asked excitedly. "You and Shizuma must still keep in contact with each other… No?"

Miyuki sadly shook her head no. "For the first year after we graduated, we corresponded monthly to keep in touch. In the second year, the letters came less until they finally ceased around midyear," she took a sip from her tea before continuing. "The last thing I heard that time was that she was on her way to Vienna Austria to further develop her piano skills. That was more almost three years ago Blake and I seriously do not believe that she is still there."

"So there is no way that I can find out where she is?"

"Unfortunately there isn't as of the moment," Miyuki replied. "You miss her don't you?"

Blake closed her eyes and pressed her fingers against her forehead. "I missed her every single day of those four years I waited."

Miyuki sympathetically gazed at Blake. "But you still miss her?"

Blake shrugged her shoulders. "I waited too long and I taught myself to let go when I convinced myself that I would probably never see her again."

"Blake," Miyuki called her but could not let out what she was about to say due to a loud car honking just outside of the café. "Looks like we have to go," she announced, walking over to her son and gathering him into her arms. To Blake she said, "We should have dinner." They had a lot more to talk about.

"Not tonight though," Blake answered. "I have a dinner already arranged for tonight with Kairos and his sister. Tomorrow night?"

Miyuki nodded her head and quickly scribbled an address and telephone number on an unused paper napkin. "Here's my address and my telephone number. Say goodbye and thank you to Blake, Ryuusuke."

The little boy reached out with his small hands, which Blake gently took in to her own. "Bye-bye Blake! Thanks for the two ice creams!"

Blake smiled at the little boy and gently ruffled his blue-black hair. "You're welcome! I'll see you soon ok!" She and Miyuki exchanged goodbyes before she sank back into her chair watching the mother and her son step into the car and drive off. Blake reached into her pocket, grabbed hold of her cellphone and punched a quick-dial button. When Kairos' weary voice came on, Blake let out, "You'll never believe who I just had coffee and tea with just a few minutes ago."

* * *

**_I kept my promise! It was my last exam for this trimester and i managed to come up with a new chapter as soon as i got home via commuter trains from the university. I'm on christmas break at last! hahaha! which means i have more time to develop and create more chapters for this story. as you have noticed at the top of this chapter, i have called this the second arc. basically it is the second arc in the life and times of Blake Saberhart five years after being taken away from Astraea Hill to protect her life and the countless lives of others. i hope you all enjoyed the first arc though and that you all look forward to this next arc!_**

**_Alaeri: I was actually wondering where you have disappeared to. hehe. kinda did like an ala Blake disappearing act on me there. hahaha! i apologize though for the lack of closeness between Shizuma and Blake. i'll find a way to make it up to you. :)_**

**_vampknight364: the drama! haha! of course Shizuma didn't deserve that but a story isn't a story without the unexpected twists and turns. not to worry though, i assure you that there will never be a Shizuma/Nagisa pairing in this story._**

**_Moomoocachu: i'm glad you liked this chapter and for complimenting on Blake's sad past._**

**_Loorlover: i apologize for confusing you. Kairos did take and unknowing Blake away. About coming up with this story idea, i just had all these ideas mush together in my head after watching the anime series a very long time ago. It was only a couple of months ago when i decided to try to put all those ideas down to canvas in this case, the trusty microsoft word in my laptop. hahaha! it's hard to explain the details of the story. perhaps i'll tell you another time. :)_**

**_next chapter: two dinners, more time at the park, a tournament and a bad habit. _**


	15. Drowning

_Chapter 15: "Drowning"_

Kairos could not help but scowl at Blake as the raven-haired girl walked towards their table. "For one who keeps on preaching about the value of punctuality, you sure are late." He, Jez and her model friend were seated at their table for almost twenty minutes in a fancy Japanese cosmopolitan restaurant in downtown New York.

Blake graciously slid into the empty chair, smiled at Jez and her friend then returned a scowl of her own to her guardian. "I lost track of time and you were the one who insisted that I commute going here rather than bring the car," she told the older man calmly. "You should know that traffic at this time is really bad."

Kairos opened his mouth to deliver a retort when he felt someone kick him under the table. He looked across the table and frowned at his smiling younger sister. "You don't need to kick me to make me stop, you know," he informed the young fashion designer, who continued to smile sweetly at him as if nothing happened. He also noted down the amused look on the face of his sister's companion.

Jez Leix chuckled at the folly of her older brother and his ward. "If I don't do anything, you and Blake will keep bickering at each other for the rest of the night." She glanced at her model friend by her side and winked in a rather suggestive way at her. "Heaven knows how embarrassing it gets when the two of you are left alone to squabble."

The raven-haired girl smiled ruefully at Jez and her friend. "That's what happens when you are forced to live with the same guy for ten years of your life. You get bored and the bickering becomes one of the only methods you're left with to keep entertained." The four of them laughed at the small joke. Blake eyed the model seated at Jez's side. "May I have the honor to know your companion's name?"

The model smiled at Blake. From her looks alone and the way she sat with her back perfectly straight, her neck elongated, it was certain that she was a model. She had long dark auburn hair that fell across her back in soft waves. Her bright blue eyes sparkled as her teeth peeked out of full and lush lips in a smile. "You are a charming person, Blake Saberhart," she told the raven-haired girl. "Very unlike the description that Kairos over here gave while we were waiting for you to arrive."

Blake grinned at the model and raised her eyebrows at Kairos. "Oh don't mind him," she responded. "Kairos tends to get jealous easily because I am able to charm more girls than he could." She continued to smile at the auburn-haired model not minding the annoyed mutter coming from Kairos and asked, "May I know your name?"

"Ashleigh Kingston," she introduced herself, reaching over the table with a delicate hand. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Blake." She and the raven-haired girl shook hands quickly and withdrew them just as the waiters arrived with their main course.

"So how did you and Jez meet?" Blake asked casually as she ferried some fresh salad onto her stylized plate. She was rather curious about this particular model because she seemed to be quite different compared to the last few models that Jez dated in the past. Both of the women pretty much already gave away that they were in the early stages of dating.

"Oh we were introduced to each other at a fashion show around two weeks ago. I was one of the models ramping in the show and she was a spectator from the audience," Ashleigh explained nudging back at Jez who was elbowing her. "Although she was slightly inebriated when I was introduced to her."

"Ash…" Jez whined, grasping the girl's forearm in warning.

Blake and Kairos chuckled at the fashion designer's reaction. "I suppose she said something like 'You're beautiful and I'm dying to just whisk you back to my home,'" Blake teased then burst out laughing when Jez turned a deep shade of red. "So I'm right?" she asked Ashleigh who also laughed.

"You're quite close," the model admitted. "You're just missing the part when Jez told me that she would probably ravish me instead of fitting me with clothes if I were to sign on as her model." She had a mischievous smile on her face as Blake and Kairos cracked up at the red and fidgeting fashion designer. "Despite her being drunk, I was charmed and we ended up setting up a date after a few days."

"So you also share the same orientation?" Blake asked after calming down.

Ashleigh nodded her head. "I have always been open to these kinds of things," she admitted. "I did go to an exclusive girl's school in London before moving here to New York to try my luck as a model." She laced Jez's and her fingers together. "It's just that it never really happened to me until two weeks ago."

Kairos nodded his head to the explanation. "Well one thing for sure is that you won't get bored easily with Jez," he grinned when his sister pouted at him. "She's just as amusing and lively when she's sober. I mean that as a compliment, my dear sister," he assured the red-streaked blonde. He turned to Blake and looked at his ward with a look of interest on his face. "So you really bumped into Miyuki, Blake? That is such a coincidence especially since it has been five years."

Blake nodded her head and began to recount the events that occurred earlier, which eventually led to her fateful meeting with the former Saint Miator student council president. "I really had no notion that the kid that I helped out in that residential park was actually her son," she pointed out. "It's only now that I realize that her four year old son is a carbon copy of Miyuki."

"Who is Miyuki, brother?" Jez asked, both she and Ashleigh had similar looks of interest prevalent on their faces. "You seem to know who this Miyuki is."

Kairos cleared his throat and glanced quickly at Blake who nodded her head to give permission. "Miyuki was one of Blake's schoolmates and friends when she was still studying in that exclusive private girls' school in Japan. Blake hasn't seen any of her friends ever since…" Kairos' voice hitched in his throat. "Ever since she abruptly left with me for Switzerland," he continued.

Jez looked at Blake and grinned widely. "So you finally met one of your friends after so long! That's great don't you agree Ash?"

Ash smiled at Blake but noticed the distant look on the raven-haired girl's face. "It is great…" she agreed. "Did something happen? Not that I want to intrude or anything," she quickly added, hoping that she did not appear rude to Blake.

The raven-haired girl seemed reluctant at first to share about what she had found out from Miyuki. "Well, remember I told you before that I was looking for a friend of mine from back in my school days in Japan?" she asked Jez who nodded her head. "I was looking for her for almost three years before I kind of gave up on my search for her until I bumped into Miyuki awhile ago. Miyuki was best friends with her and I was hoping that she knew where she was." She shook her head then gulped down her water.

"Who is she, Blake?" Jez asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. When she had tried her luck of developing a relationship with Blake, her older brother had immediately stopped her advances as soon as he figured out what her plan was. He had only explained that Blake's heart was not open to a relationship at present.

Blake stared sadly at the ceiling before letting out a long sigh. "She was a close friend of mine," she answered. "I would not have been able to adjust to the new environment if it weren't for her."

Jez wanted to ask more when she caught the cold glare her brother was throwing at her from across the table. She began to delicately cough and changed the subject. "I'm sure you will meet with her someday just as you have met with your friend Miyuki! Oh Ashleigh has a proposition for us!" she quickly elbowed her current girlfriend to say her proposition.

"Huh? Oh yes!" Ashleigh played along upon seeing the worried looks of the siblings. "My younger sister is participating in that National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden two days from now! My parents and my other sister cannot attend so I'm left with three extra tickets. Would you like to accompany me?"

"You have a younger sister who competes in Equestrian events?" Kairos asked.

Ashleigh nodded her head. "Dominique may be only a sixteen year old, but she's received so many accolades for her performance." There was pride in her voice as she told her dinner companions about her sister. "She's competing in the show-jumping event two days from now."

"We would love to go," Kairos said and nudged Blake with a gentle elbow. "Right Blake?"

Blake shrugged her shoulders and smiled warmly at Ashleigh. "It's a great idea and I do need a break from the office work that Kairos and I are always buried in."

They dined and chatted for an hour and after sharing a bottle of chilled sparkling white wine, they exited the high-end establishment and stood at the curb. Kairos and Blake accompanied the new lovers as they waited for a passing cab. "Are you sure the both of you don't want to come along with us to that new club?" Jez asked her older brother and Blake as she snaked an arm around Ashleigh.

"You know that Blake and I have work to do early tomorrow morning," Kairos reminded his sister as he hailed a cab down for them. "Take this cab to wherever that club is and make sure that you're sober enough to find your way home." He held the cab door open for the two women and shut the door firmly behind them.

"I'll come pick the three of you up this Thursday for the Horse Show," Ashleigh relayed to them through the rolled down car window. She and Jez waved goodbye to them as the taxi pulled away from the sidewalk. "I wonder who that dear friend Blake was talking about. She had this sad look in her eyes when you asked her about it Jez," she told her companion as they sat comfortably in the back seat.

"I told you before that I tried to pull a move on Blake several months ago, but I stopped because Kairos told me to," Jez said then told their cab driver the address of the club they were going to. "Kairos implied that Blake closed herself off to relationships and I'm guessing that the girl she was talking about was someone very special to her."

"A lover you mean?" Ashleigh asked.

Jez nodded her head. "Most probably but I could not find any other information about her. Blake would not want to share about her and Kairos is as secretive as she is."

"Blake really seems like a kind woman though," the auburn-haired model observed. "Not to mention she's beautiful despite that stoic and nonchalant attitude she exuded."

"Awww Ash!" Jez whined and pressed her side into the model's. "You like her don't you?" she pouted at the other woman.

"I never said such a thing although I do find her very attractive plus she's taller than I am unlike a certain someone."

"You are such a tease!" Jez cried out.

* * *

Blake walked out of the bathroom in a loose shirt and equally loose pants while toweling her damp hair. She and Kairos had arrived at their apartment half an hour later after their dinner with Jez and Ashleigh. They had managed to flag down a cab right after the two women drove off for the club. The raven-haired girl hung the towel over one shoulder as she grabbed her discarded pants and fished out the piece of paper that Miyuki had given her earlier that day. She just remembered that she had to call Miyuki and confirm with her that she was going to come over to have dinner with her and her family.

"Are you going to call Miyuki?" Kairos asked loudly from the other room.

Blake threw her towel and clothes into a hamper and walked into the living room. "I'm just about to do that," she said loudly so that her guardian could hear her from the other room. "Would you like me to ask her if you could come along?"

Kairos appeared at the doorway. "I would love to go, but if you're going to have dinner with Miyuki it would mean that I would have to stay in the office and do the rest of your work," he drawled. "Just tell her I said hi and that we should all meet up one day." He went back into his room to do more work.

Blake sat down and sunk a few inches into the plush leather sofa as she reached for the cordless phone set on the table. She carefully dialed the telephone number written down on the scrap of paper and pressed the phone against her ear. She leaned back heavily against the couch as she listened to the sequenced ringing until she heard someone pick up the phone.

_"Hello this is Ryuusuke Fierro,"_ a high-pitched voice sounded on the other line.

Blake could not help but smile upon recognizing the voice and name of her companion earlier that afternoon. "Hey little guy!" Blake greeted. "I hope you haven't forgotten the nice lady who bought you two ice creams awhile ago."

The young boy giggled on the phone. _"Is that you __auntie__ Blake?" _

"Auntie?" Blake asked in surprise. "Who told you to call me auntie?"

_"Mommy did! Oh here she comes! __Mommy!__ Auntie Blake is on the phone!"_ His voice was softer probably because he was handing the phone over to his mother.

_"Hi Blake,"_ Miyuki's deep voice greeted her on the phone. _"Are you going to confirm our dinner date?" _she asked.

"Yeah," Blake answered as she ran her hand through her wet hair. "Kairos said that I could come over to your place for dinner and he'll just finish the rest of my work for me in the office. He says hi by the way and says that we should all meet up one day," she explained. "What time should I go to this address that you wrote down for me?"

_"It would be nice if you would arrive around five-thirty in the afternoon. Yo__u could help me prepare dinner."_

Blake chuckled into the receiver. "I see that you're still as commanding as you used to be," she mused. "But sure I'll come over at five-thirty to help you out and I'll bring something over for you and your family."

_"That would be great! __Oh__ I have to go. Ryuusuke is due for his evening bath!"_

The young boy's voice sounded in the background. _"Oh mommy!__ Why do I have to keep taking a bath?"_

_"Because you've become__ a stinky little boy from playing outside the whole day," _Miyuki told her son with the phone still held against her ear. _"Sorry about that Blake but I have to catch Ryuusuke before he runs off to hide from his bath.__I'll__ see you tomorrow! Good night!"_

"Good night Miyuki," Blake said her goodbye, turned off the phone and set it back on its stand on the table. She rose out of the couch and walked over to Kairos' closed door. Blake rapped her fist against the door a few times before entering. Her guardian sat on his bed with the laptop set on his lap and with his reading glasses on. He was obviously accomplishing some important document due to the speed of his typing. "Well, it's settled. I'm going over to Miyuki's place to have dinner with her and her family."

Kairos looked up from his laptop and smiled at Blake. "It's good to hear that you're going to go out with an old friend. Are you going to bring them anything?" he asked. "Manners would dictate that you bring a gift."

"What should I bring?" Blake asked as she leaned against her guardian's doorway. "I have an idea with what to bring for her son Ryuusuke, but I should bring another gift for Miyuki and her husband," she imparted to Kairos.

Kairos' eyebrows furrowed as he thought of a possible gift that his charge could bring. "Why not give Miyuki and her husband a bottle of wine?" he suggested. "We have quite a collection of wines in our wine rack in the kitchen. Just pick one out and bring it over for dinner."

"You sure it's alright? You and Jez have been collecting those wines for quite some time."

Kairos shook his head as he shut down his laptop and set it aside. "It's alright," he assured Blake. "The only time those wines are consumed is when Jez gets dumped by her lovers and usually she is only able to drink two bottles at most before passing out."

Blake grinned as a memory suddenly flashed in her mind. She had come home late from the office to find a wasted Jez on the living room floor. She had carried the younger Blackthorn onto the couch and made her drink strong black coffee to sober her up. "I forgot about that," she said sheepishly. "It would probably be good for Jez too if I take away a bottle. It would mean she'd have less to drink just in case she decides to go on a drinking spree again." She bade Kairos goodnight and walked back to her room to sleep.

* * *

"Kairos, it's still four-thirty! I can work until five before I head off for Miyuki's place!"

The next day dawned to be a cloudy overcast day as Blake and Kairos worked from morning to afternoon in their office at the Lionheart Organization. Today's office work was significantly more difficult compared to others. The guardian and his ward entered their office to find two secretaries setting stacks and stacks of documents onto their desks.

Blake could have sworn she heard an audible click as Kairos' eyebrows came together in a frown. She chose to remain silent and straight-faced as Kairos too calmly asked why they were brought so much paperwork to accomplish that day. The secretaries nervously explained that their superiors thought that he and Blake were doing so well that they could do the unfinished work that one of their officers have not done since he was on leave for a few months. It had only taken a growl from the tall blonde-haired man for the two secretaries to scurry out of the room. There was little grumbling between the Blake and Kairos as they went to their separate desks and did their work.

Kairos looked at his watch then glanced outside the window. "We've been on our desks for several hours," he grunted tiredly. "You still haven't bought your gift for Miyuki's son right? You can use this extra time to do that and you'll be walking quite a distance to get to Miyuki's condominium." He pushed a stack of finished documents to the side of his desk. "I'll finish the rest of your work and I'll use this as a reason to complain about how the higher-ranking officers are fobbing off their duties." He scowled at his charge and pointed at their door. "Go on now, little dragon."

Blake let out a defeated sigh and grabbed the small paper bag that held her selected wine to give to Miyuki and her husband. Before she closed the door behind her, she turned to Kairos and said, "You've grown to become more of a scheming man. I suggest you get a woman before you turn thirty before you become any worse." Blake shut the door firmly, ambled down the hallway and out of the building. As she made her way for the area of the residential park, Blake calculated the time it would take her to buy her extra gift for Ryuusuke and the walk going to Miyuki's place. It would take her around fifteen minutes with the human traffic to get to the ice cream parlor and another ten minutes to walk from the ice cream parlor to Miyuki's condominium.

Fortunately, Blake's trip to the ice cream parlor was relatively quicker than she expected. It took her no more than a few minutes to purchase a gallon of chocolate ice cream then she was back on the sidewalk looking at her written directions as she dodged other pedestrians. "I should be hitting that condominium about now," Blake said to herself before looking up to catch the emblazoned polished steel words above the entrance of a fifteen-story white condominium building across the street. "Well this is it." The raven-haired girl looked at both sides of the street before striding across the road and through the revolving doors of the housing unit.

A middle-aged man in a dark gray suit greeted her from behind the front desk in the sprawling lobby tiled in marble. "Good afternoon, may I help you?" He smiled at Blake and noticed the two bags she held in each of her hands.

Blake returned the easy smile before asking, "Would you kindly direct me to the Fierro residence?"

"Ah so you are Blake Saberhart then?" he asked, stepping around the front desk and beckoning Blake to follow him into a hall of elevators. "The Fierro's are on the fifteenth floor penthouse," he informed, ushering Blake into an elevator. "Just push the P button and it's the first door to the right when you get off the elevator." The man continued to smile at Blake inside the elevator as the door slid shut.

"Penthouse, huh?" Blake let out a long whistle as she waited for the elevator to stop on the fifteenth floor. The raven-haired girl reminded herself that Miyuki had come from an affluent Japanese family and that her husband came from a similar background. The elevator bell dinged as the doors slid open to show her a well-lit and carpeted hallway. She walked to the first door on the right and casually rang the doorbell. She could faintly hear the sounds of pattering feet coming closer and closer then the click of the door unlocking.

A head of blue-black hair looked up at Blake. "Hi auntie Blake!" Ryuusuke grinned up at the much taller woman. His eyes widened at the parcels that Blake was holding in her hands. "Is that for me?"

"Ryuusuke! Let your auntie Blake in before you ask any more questions!" Miyuki appeared behind her son at the doorway. "Hi Blake," she smiled warmly. "You're quite early. It's still a little past five." She drew her son back into their condominium unit, took Blake's free hand and ushered her into their home.

Ryuusuke jumped around Blake and his mother in excitement. "Did you bring something for me?" he repeated.

Miyuki frowned and was just about to scold her overly excited son when Blake went down on one knee and looked at the Ryuusuke at the same eye level.

"You're a smart boy!" Blake exclaimed as she held out the bag with the gallon of chocolate ice cream. "How'd you know that I brought you something?" She could not help but grin back at the ecstatic look on young boy's face. "Now who's a good boy and will bring this ice cream into the kitchen and place it in the freezer?"

Ryuusuke shot his hand up and cried, "Me! Me!" He took the offered bag of ice cream in his short arms and ran into another room, which Blake assumed was the kitchen. "Sorry if I got him so excited," Blake apologized to Miyuki as she got back up to her feet. "I didn't just bring a gift for your son though," she added, handing the other bag to Miyuki. "You could try it out tonight if you wish." She watched as Miyuki slid her hand into the bag and brought out the bottle of Asti Martini.

"You know you didn't need to Blake," Miyuki told her old friend but nevertheless led them into the kitchen and placed the wine bottle in the refrigerator. "Jin enjoys this particular brand of wine so you picked well."

The raven-haired girl rubbed the back of her head at the compliment given to her. "Well, I just picked it out from our own collection of wines at home," she explained, hooking the Ryuusuke who was sneaking up behind her under his arms and swinging him up in the air. "Got you little guy!" She tickled the squealing Ryu in her arms. "You remind me of how Kairos used to sneak up on me when I was younger!"

"Who's Kairos?" Ryu asked as he was set back on his feet.

"My foster brother and guardian," Blake answered as she glanced to the side to see Miyuki gathering ingredients from inside the refrigerator and the cupboards. "You would probably like him," she informed Miyuki's son. She went to Miyuki's side and asked, "So what do you need me to do?"

"For starters, could you wash those vegetables I set on the counter and chop them up for a quick salad?" For the next hour, she and the raven-haired woman walked around the kitchen and accomplished preparing and cooking their supper. Ryuusuke also tried to help by ferrying the discarded trash into their trash bin while he constantly chattered that day's adventure to Blake.

Miyuki finally shooed Blake into the living room with her son as she made the finishing touches on their meal. Blake relaxed against the long couch in the furnished living room and smiled as Miyuki's son climbed onto her lap and continued his animated story to her. She wondered if Ryuusuke had inherited his talkativeness from his father because Miyuki was known to be stiff and not so talkative when they were younger. Blake was about to ask Ryuusuke a question when the front door swung open and in came a young, tall and lean man with ebony brown hair and eyes as black as sloe.

Ryuusuke twisted around Blake's lap and jumped off to race towards the man. "Daddy!" he shouted as he flung himself into his father's embrace.

Blake got up from the couch as the man called Jin walked over to Blake with his son in his arms. "You must be Blake," he said in a deep baritone voice. "I have heard a lot about you from my wife and Ryuusuke over here." He smiled easily at Blake as he offered his free hand to the young woman. "I'm Jin and it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," Blake answered as she gripped Jin's hand firmly. "Thank you for having me over for dinner."

"Anata is that you?" Miyuki called out her term of endearment for her husband from the kitchen. She appeared at the kitchen door with her hands buried in a towel. "Oh I see you've already met each other," she told them. "Why don't you go set the table, Jin? Go help your daddy Ryuusuke!"

"Yes mommy!" Ryuusuke dragged his father to the cabinet where they keep all the dining ware.

A few minutes later, they were all seated on the dining table enjoying a sumptuous meal of fresh green salad, marinated beef with potatoes and rice. Jin and Blake talked for most of the meal while Miyuki conversed with them occasionally because she had to keep an eye on Ryuusuke. Their young son seemed to have an endless source of energy as he squirmed in his seat and made a mess out of himself as he ate dinner. He finally bowed out when he rested his head on the table and began to suck on his thumb.

"Finally asleep!" Jin exclaimed quietly, watching his wife collect Ryuusuke in her arms and carry him out of the kitchen. "I suppose it's my fault that he's always so hyper," he admitted. "I was known to be a quite hyper and rowdy back when I was still a youngster."

Blake laughed and gestured at the unopened wine bottle. "Your son will tone down with time. Now how about some wine since Ryu is asleep?" Jin gave his permission for Blake to pop the wine bottle and pour for them. They had downed a glass each when Jin brought up an unexpected topic.

"I heard from my wife that you were searching for her best friend for the past few years," he Italian-Japanese man stated. "I don't know much of the details, but I had my secretary run a check on her." Jin shook his head at the confused look on Blake's face and explained, "The business that I have inherited from my father is a multinational one and we happen to have a branch in Vienna, Austria. That was the last place she was said to be in." He gave a smile to Miyuki who had just returned from tucking her son into bed. "So far we only found out that Shizuma Hanazono stayed in that country for close to a year before moving elsewhere though we haven't found out where she headed to next."

The raven-haired woman shook her head and smiled gratefully at the couple. "I thank you for your concern and your actions," Blake started, looking into her wine glass. "But you really shouldn't." Blake eyed Miyuki with a look of warning. She remembered distinctly that she had told Miyuki that she was no longer searching for the former Etoile.

"Blake I don't believe it," Miyuki told her friend gently. "I know that deep down inside, you are wishing that you would stumble upon her."

A long sigh escaped from the other woman. "Miyuki perhaps I may have felt that way in the last four years that I waited and searched for her," Blake said, her eyes becoming cold and distant. "I have long accepted the fact that she's gone. I need to move on and I realized eventually that Kairos was partly right in taking me away to protect the innocent people around me." She gulped down the rest of her wine. "I believe that Shizuma has also moved on."

"Blake," Miyuki tried as she eyed her husband to help her soothe the saddened woman.

Blake shook her head. "I must leave," she told the couple. "It's getting late." The raven-haired woman got up from the table and bowed. "Thank you for inviting me to this dinner." Without any other words, Blake turned around and showed herself out of the condominium unit.

"Her heart aches for your best friend," Jin observed as he casually wiped his hands with his table napkin. "But it's plain for the eye to see that her heart has grown cold and hard after all those years of waiting." The half Italian-Japanese man looked at his young wife. "If we find Shizuma, do you really believe that she will be able to warm Blake's heart?"

Miyuki began stacking the dirty plates one on top of the other. "I hope so," she replied. "It's just that I have an inkling that Shizuma may be feeling the same thing that Blake is."

* * *

Under the blare of loud dance music and the blinding flash of lights, club goers merrily chatted, danced and drank their fill of various alcoholic drinks. At one of the three bars strategically built in certain areas in the club, there sat a raven-haired woman downing glass after glass of alcohol.

The bartender on shift for that particular bar was a young man with little experience when it came to handling people like this. All he could muster was to mumble out a word of warning to the raven-haired woman who either did not hear him or merely ignored him. He was all set on waving security over to escort the woman out when he spotted his fellow coworker walk towards them from the crowded dance floor. The woman motioned for him to talk to her at the other end of the bar away from the intoxicated drinker. "What is it Kate?"

"Let me handle this one," she told her young coworker. Kate Ross was a resident bartender and singer who worked for the Under the Night Sky bar. She certainly was one of the reasons why the bar is popular among young adults. Kate had flowing black hair accented with auburn strands, startling light honey-brown eyes flecked with green, a sharp nose, sensuous full lips all held up by a fit and voluptuous body. Aside from her looks, she had a beautiful voice, which drew in crowds and crowds of spectators. Not only did she sing from time to time, Kate also improved the bar's repertoire of bartending and drink mixing all of which she continues to modestly claim was self-taught or learned through trial and error.

"You sure Kate?" the young man asked. "You just got off of your shift and I don't want to impose this job on you."

Kate smiled and patted her friend on his shoulder. "It's alright besides, I know this one." She flicked her eyes at the still drinking woman. "She's been here several times and I pretty much know her drinking habits." With a nod of approval, Kate sauntered up to the raven-haired woman and casually slid herself into the unoccupied stool right next to her. "How about you give this one to me?" she asked sweetly, taking the glass of vodka from the woman's hands. "Let's see here," her eyes swept across the polished table. "Five glasses of vodka, three bottles of beer, a test tube of Jägermeister and two shots of tequila. It's bad to mix drinks you know and you've drank more than the usual."

"Leave me be Kate," the woman growled as she tried to grab the stolen drink from the woman bartender.

Kate downed the drink in one gulp and set the empty glass on the table. "Nuh-uh! You've had too much Blake! What has gotten into you?"

"Drowning…"

"What?"

Blake looked at the bartender-singer and repeated, "Drowning. Probably better to say that I'm drowning my sorrows away."

"More like about to drown yourself in your puke if you keep drinking," Kate huffed out. "Is this one of your depressed drinking states?" she asked. The last few times Blake had come to the bar to drink, she had the same expression of sadness in her face. "You know there are other healthier methods of remedying your depression."

"Like what though I doubt they'll work on me."

Kate smiled and slowly leaned against Blake, her breasts pressed against Blake's arm. "How many times do I have to tell you that I could remedy that depression of yours in just one night?" she whispered hotly in Blake's ear. "Just say it then I'll take you to my place and make you forget."

"I'm not in the mood for your teasing Kate," Blake slurred in an uninterested voice. "You don't have to tease me like that to make me stop drinking. Hey bartender!" Blake called out. "Get me some coffee. I'm going to need to sober up if I want to make it back to my place."

Kate watched as her co-bartender filled a mug of coffee from their espresso machine and set it on the countertop. "How are you getting home anyway?" she asked the other woman.

Blake shrugged her shoulders and knead her temples groggily. "Walking I guess or I'll take a cab if I'm able to find one." She carefully put her lips against the mug's rim and took a sip of the hot bitter beverage. "Aren't you supposed to be off work?" she questioned.

"Technically my shift is done but I had a few things to take care of which includes you." She watched Blake finish her coffee. "By the way, who said I was just teasing about taking you back to my place to make you forget?"

"I'm not interested." Blake scowled deeply at her companion then finished the rest of her coffee. She dug into her pants' pocket and brought out a few money bills. "Here's my payment," she mumbled. "Keep the change." Blake got to her feet and dizzily braced herself against the bar.

Kate also got to her feet and draped Blake's arm around her own shoulders. "Come on silver eyes," she called the other woman by the nickname she made up for her. "You are going to be hitching a ride with me." She threw a glare at Blake before grinning at her. "You can't refuse me."

"Fine then," Blake relented. "But you only drop me off at the apartment. I'm sober enough to get myself up to my place." She let out a groan as a wave of nausea wracked her body.

"Lean on me silver eyes. I'll get you to your home in no time."

* * *

"Stop glaring at me Kairos. It's not helping with my headache at all."

"If I had known you were going to go to a bar to drink, I would not have consented to your going to Miyuki's home for dinner," Kairos retorted angrily as they were deafened by an ovation from the spectators of the horse show. He and Jez had already been asleep when the still tipsy Blake entered their apartment and stumbled into her own room. Kairos knew that there was something was off the next morning when Blake did not come out of her room at her usual time. Even when Ashleigh arrived at their apartment, there still was no sign of life from within the rooms of Blake. "The stench of alcohol paired with your morning breath was not really a nice experience."

Blake glared at her guardian. "You're not helping," she warned.

"Oh Kairos, stop reprimanding her!" Jez leaned forward and looked around Ash's body. "She's having a nasty hangover and you're just getting in the way of her sobering up."

"Oh excuse me!" The blonde-haired man said sarcastically. "I wonder who's at fault for influencing Blake to go on these drinking sprees." He and his younger sister traded scowls before Ashleigh diverted their glaring match.

"Oh look!" she exclaimed. "Dominique is coming on for the show jumping event!" she pointed out a female rider wearing a dark blue jacket, white breeches, polished black riding boots and a black riding helmet on top of a large black stallion. The young girl's auburn hair was tied back in a simple tight ponytail. Her sapphire eyes showed determination and her lip were tight as she prepared herself for the ride.

"What kind of horse is that?" Jez asked in awe. Dominique seemed so minute on top of such a large horse. "I know your sister isn't as gifted as you when it comes to height but that horse pretty much dwarfs her!" She watched as the girl leaned over and pat the muscled neck of her horse.

Ash chuckled at her friend's silliness. "Night Shadow is a Hanoverian," she explained. "My mother's sister married a German horse breeder and they gifted Night Shadow to Dom when she turned thirteen. He highly favors the Hanoverian breed," she added. "I remember uncle saying that the Hanoverian doesn't only possess beauty, finesse, athleticism and good temperament, but they also have a rich history."

"History?" Kairos queried.

Ash nodded her head. "Hanoverians were once highly sought after as high class carriage horses, riding horses and for army work back in the World War." Ash all of a sudden let out a grin. "I just remembered the time we visited their estates in Germany and he showed off this tapestry of a Hanoverian war horse from the medieval ages. He just kept gushing on and on about the breed until Dom herself fell in love with them."

Blake ceased kneading her temples and sleepily watched as Dom urged her horse into a canter as she started the course. "She's starting," she informed her companions. "She has to beat 68.7 seconds to win this competition." She glanced at the scoreboard and noted down the numbers. "That would mean she cannot commit any faults and she has to finish faster than the previous rider," Blake added. "That's quite a lot of pressure for a sixteen year old."

"She can do it," Ash firmly said. "She's been training hard for almost half a year." The four of them watched in silence and nervousness as Dom and her steed gracefully and effortlessly cleared three consecutive fences in a row. "So far so good," Ash breathed out.

"Is it just me or is she grinning?" Jez asked, squinting to get a better look at the rider. "She is grinning!"

An almost same grin appeared on Ash's face upon realizing that Jez was right about her sister. "Oh, she usually starts to grin when she knows that she's about to win," she informed her companions sheepishly. "She's arrogant in that way but she only does that when she's going to win. Otherwise she's dead serious throughout the duration of the ride."

Dom and her black steed cleared the last jump to receive a thunderous applause as a voice blared over the sound systems. "Dominic Kingston wins with a time of 67.9 seconds!" Shortly after the announcement, the area was cleared of the fences and other things to make way for the awarding ceremonies.

"Why don't we all go down there and congratulate her?" Ash suggested as the people involved in the ceremony began to walk away. "You could also take a look at Night Shadow if you want." She glanced at Blake and met her tired gaze. "I heard from Jez that you used to ride horses when you were in Switzerland the first time around and when you were in Japan."

Blake nodded her head. "Having a look wouldn't be so bad," she admitted as she, Kairos and Jez followed Ash through the crowd and down into the dirt covered arena grounds. Their group trudged through the dirt covered ground towards Dom who was thanking other riders who had approached her to give their congratulations.

"Oh! Hey sis!" Dom called out as the last of the riders left her. "Are these the friends you brought as replacement for our parents and Lynn?" She unstrapped her helmet and shook out her auburn hair while holding the helmet against her hip. She was certainly of lesser stature compared to her older sister. Kate was around five and seven inches while Dom was a stocky five feet and three inches. If the difference in height and age was forgotten, one could say that the sisters could almost be twins.

Ash quickly wrapped her sister in a hug before pulling her towards her friends. "Yup!" she confirmed and began pointing out each of her friends. "This is Jez, you know about her already right?" she asked her sister sweetly, grinning when her sister nodded slightly as her cheeks became tinged with red. "Kairos over there is her older brother." The older man smiled and voiced out his own congratulations to Dom. "And this is Blake," she gestured at the still sobering up raven-haired woman. "She's still coming out of a hangover so don't expect too much from her."

"I'm not so wasted to not be able to congratulate her, you know," Blake informed Ash with contempt before directing a smile at the younger sister. "That was a great run and your horse is a beautiful creature," she nodded at the black Hanoverian who stood behind the girl. "Your sister was right when she said that you were such an accomplished rider at such a young age."

The youngest Kingston daughter blushed at the compliment. "I couldn't have done it without Shadow," she said modestly. "He and I worked hard for this tournament."

"She certainly doesn't receive compliments easily," Blake laughed.

"Excuse me Miss Kingston," a middle-aged man with graying hair and a receding hairline approached Dominic. "The owner of our club would like to have a word with you if you would allow it. She is waiting in one of the rooms down that hallway."

Ash and her sister traded confused looks. "A club you say?" she queried the man.

"Forgive me," the man told them as he brushed off some dirt from his slacks. "I am the assistant of the owner of the Aurora Fields Horse Club. Our owner has observed that you are a superb rider despite being an individual competitor. The club is looking for potential recruits and she has an eye for you."

Dom's eyes seemed ready to pop out of their sockets. "_The _Aurora Fields Horse Club?" she asked incredulously. "Why would such a prestigious club take so much interest in me?" she asked the man, going over to Night Shadow and gripping his bridle.

The man smiled. "If you agree to come with me to meet the owner of the club, she would gladly explain why she holds much interest in you." He looked over to her companion. "Your family may come along if they wish," he smiled and nodded at Ash and the others. "Now, why don't we leave Night Shadow with your trainer first?" After making sure that her steed would be cared for, Dom and her sister and her friends walked down a long curving hallway. Dom was so excited that she and the elderly man walked ahead of Ash and the others in her haste to meet the famed Aurora Fields Horse Club.

"It's like an early Christmas for her," Ash mused as she and Jez entwined their fingers together. "She's been babbling about that Horse Club for the longest time and she idolized the horse riders of that club." They passed a small food and drink concessionaire when Blake stopped in her tracks upon spotting that they served coffee.

"You guys go ahead. I'll just get myself a small cup of coffee," Blake told them as she plunked down some loose change on the counter top and ordered.

Kairos stopped in his tracks and walked over to Blake. "I'll stay back with her." He waved Jez and Ash off before leaning against the wall to watch Blake drink her coffee.

Ash let out a giggle as she looked over her shoulder to glance at the guardian and his charge. "Blake must have drunk a lot to be having another cup of coffee." She remembered that the raven-haired woman almost finished the pot of steaming black coffee that Jez had prepared for her when she had stumbled out of her room with an annoyed Kairos. "Oh Dom and that man just turned into the room over there." She and Jez stepped into the room and found it to be simply furnished with a long couch, a table and a handful of chairs. In the middle of the couch sat a pale woman with wavy tawny brown hair that fell to her shoulder.

"Good afternoon," the tawny-haired woman greeted them with a friendly smile. "I beg your forgiveness for abruptly asking you to come here, but I was worried that the other horse clubs present here would grab you before I got the chance." Her startling hazel eyes seemed to twinkle from brown to gold and to green. "I am Vittoria Hughes and this is Martin," she gestured at the man who had led them to that room. "The others lounging around in this room are my best riders who had decided to watch this competition with me." Vittoria pointed at the three women talking to each other at the back of the room.

"It is an honor to meet you," Dom stammered, wringing her hands together.

"There's no need to be nervous, Dominique Kingston." Vittoria Hughes smiled at the young girl. She looked past the young rider and raised her elegant eyebrows at Ash and Jez. "The two of you must be her mother and sister."

Ash shook her head and laughed. "Oh no! I am her older sister and Jez here is my…" she glanced at Jez and struggled to come up with the proper term.

"Her girlfriend," Jez said without hesitance. "Their parents and their other sister could not attend so my other friends and I were invited to replace them." She impressed that Vittoria Hughes did not flinch at all upon hearing her claim that she was the girlfriend of Ash.

"Ah I see. Well the reason why I called you here Dominique is because I am asking for you to sign on with our club," Vittoria explained. "My riders and I," she gestured at the three women behind her. "We believe that you would prove to be a invaluable asset to our club. Your skills at this young age are superb and we honestly believe that you would become a great rider as a member of the Aurora Fields Horse Club." She once more looked at Ash. "Of course, we would want the approval of her parents when she agrees," she assured Ash.

"I'll call them right now," Ash informed them, taking out her cellphone and dialing her father's cellphone number.

Dom cleared her throat and looked in awe at Vittoria. "Miss Hughes, I am honored to join your club," she started. "But I do believe that the Aurora Fields Horse Club does not have any quarters in New York."

Vittoria smiled. "Construction of Aurora Fields Horse Club branch is almost finished in Highland, New York," she assured the younger girl. "You also don't need to worry about how to get there. "It's around an hour and a half ride from the city thought it may be relatively faster if you take the train."

"If that's the case then I would be gladly be a member of your club," Dom replied happily, shaking the outstretched hand of Vittoria Hughes.

Ash gave a thumbs-up to her sister when she looked over for approval. "Alright thanks Dad! I'll tell her that!" She pocketed her cellphone and grinned at her younger sister. "Dad says that mom and he agree that you should jump at this opportunity! They also said congratulations for winning and that you deserve it!"

"Great!" Dom exclaimed, turning around to see Vittoria on her feet and leading the three other riders in the room towards her.

"Since you are our newest member, I would like to introduce to you our most talented riders. They will be mentoring you from now on," Vittoria told the young rider. "As you might have already known, our horse club has recruited riders from different countries." She nodded in approval as her riders stepped around her to introduce themselves to Dom. "The one shaking hands with you is our resident Spaniard Alegra and this is our resident Irishwoman Kyna," she called out the names of the first two and was about to introduce the last of her riders when Kairos and Blake walked into the room.

"Sorry for the long wait," Kairos apologized to Jez, Ash and Dom. "Saberhart over here all of a sudden decided to have another cup of coffee!"

Jez stepped closer to Blake and lightly punched her on the arm. "Haven't you had enough?" she asked as she laughed at her friend. "At this rate the caffeine in your blood won't let you sleep tonight!" Jez waved a hand over Blake's eyes. "Blake? Are you alright?" she frowned in worry as the raven-haired woman continued to stare ahead of her.

"I always told myself that if I were to meet you again it would have to be in some place or event related to horses," Blake said in Japanese. "I'm rather angry at you, Amane," she told the last rider of the Aurora Fields Horse Club. "I was hoping to receive a reply after having Hikari-chan send the letter I wrote to you when I finally managed to get back to Japan while you were off travelling around the world."

Vittoria stared from her Japanese equestrian to the unknown raven-haired woman. "Amane, you know each other?" she asked in English. She was intrigued to see the woman address Amane in her native language. Ever since Amane joined her Horse Club at the age of nineteen, she had resorted to speaking in English for the rest of the time.

"She's an old friend of mine and I am hoping she would give me a chance to explain myself before she continues to release her anger on me," Amane replied to Vittoria in English. Her appearance had not changed in the course of five years except that she now tied her light blue hair in a short ponytail.

Kairos cleared his throat. "Why don't we all go out for dinner? There's a quaint restaurant near here," he suggested as he watched Blake and Amane continue to look at each other; Blake's look cold and hard while Amane's was worried and concerned. "I am sure that you and Amane will be able to straighten things out as we eat."

"That's a great idea!" Vittoria exclaimed, seeing the tension between Amane and Blake. "We could use that time to discuss the details of your joining our club, Dominique."

Kairos put his arm around Blake's shoulders and steered her out of the door. "Come on now, little dragon," he told his charge with a gentle voice. "A good friend of mine works in that restaurant and he makes a killer hangover remedy that will surely make you feel better." They all filed out of the room and walked towards the parking lot.

* * *

"You've been drinking a lot more these days, haven't you?"

"It does not concern you, Amane."

Kairos and the others glanced at Amane and Blake who sat at the end of their long table. They were lucky that the restaurant had little customers for the day and that Kairos' friend was present. The group was trying to make small talk as they ate but they could feel the great tension from the two old friends. Kairos in particular was worried about his charge. He distinctly remembered how Blake would look through their mail every single day until she gave up on hearing from Amane. She had hoped before meeting Miyuki that Amane would be able to tell her about Shizuma. Now he saw the bitterness in Blake resurface as she and Amane addressed each other in Japanese.

Amane let out a sigh. "Why are you angry with me?"

Blake shrugged as she downed the hangover potion Kairos' friend made for her. "If I think about it, I'm not angry just bitter," she admitted to her old friend. "You knew somehow that I was searching for her right?" Blake asked the equestrian. "When I finally managed to go back to Japan to find out what happened, all you guys were gone. I was lucky that Hikari-chan was there and that was when I unconsciously put all my hopes on you to find out where Shizuma is." Blake nodded her thanks to the waiter-friend of Kairos who had set a full glass of his hangover potion in front of Blake. "You should understand how I felt at that time when I didn't receive anything. You are part of the reason why I decided to stop waiting and searching for Shizuma."

"I'm sorry Blake," Amane told her friend. "Hikari did tell me about meeting you when you revisited Astraea Hill and about the letter you wrote for me. When she graduated from Spica, I had her flown to Belgium where I was staying with my family at that time," she explained. "That was when she asked me if I was able to contact you and of course I was shocked." She looked at Blake, her eyes filled with regret. "At the time Hikari sent the letter, I was touring Italy with my family and when the letter arrived at our temporary address, we had already moved on to our next destination. I did not think to leave a forwarding address because I was not sure where we were going to stay next."

"Amane," Blake started.

"No. Let me finish," Amane interrupted. "Not long after that, I was invited by Miss Hughes to join her club and when I got the chance after settling down in Norway, their first location for the club," she added. "I did try to find you so that I could explain to you about what had happened after you left. I even travelled to the nearest Lionheart Organization branch, which was in Switzerland to ask about you." She took a sip from her juice before continuing. "I did find out from them that you did stay in that branch for a few years but you had moved away. They would not tell me where you went though saying that it was classified information that they could not just give away to someone who claims to have known you."

Blake smiled ruefully at her old friend. "The organization was ordered not to give my whereabouts after what had happened to me before I was taken away from Astraea Hill," she explained to Amane. "I realized though that even if my letter had reached you or if you had found me, you would have probably told me the same thing that I had gleaned from my visit to Astraea Hill and from Miyuki."

"Rokojou-san?" Amane asked, her face lighting up with curiosity.

Blake nodded. "She, her husband and their son are living in one of the upper class residential areas of New York City. I bumped into her recently and she told me what she knew about Shizuma," she shook her head sadly. "After they graduated, she eventually lost contact with her. I was wrong to say I was angry at you, Amane," she told her friend. "I shouldn't have expected you to know where Shizuma was."

Amane gave a reassuring smile at her old friend. "I have missed you dearly old friend. I was saddened by your sudden departure and by how our Etoile had broken down because of it." She grasped Blake's forearm. "Perhaps we could go back to being how we used to be," she suggested. "None of my new friends could match you when it comes to riding!"

Blake laughed for the first time that day. "I have also missed our riding excursions," she admitted. "You still have Star Bright with you?"

"Yes I still have him with me," Amane answered. "I also have a particular unruly black stallion with me too."

Blake's eyebrows rose up. "You took Darkmoon with you? I didn't think you would bring him along when you graduated," she mused. "I just assumed that he was still in the Spica stables or he was already sold off when I visited Astraea Hill a few years back."

"You should come visit him when you can," Amane suggested. "No one has been able to ride him ever since you left and I brought him with me because if I just left him there, the school would have sold him or put him to sleep because of his temperament." She glanced down their table and watched Vittoria, Alegra and Kyna interview their newest member. "Why not come along with Dom when she comes to the club's estates? I could tour you around and we could catch up with each other."

The older, but still the same Blake despite the colder personality smiled at Amane. "That would be a great idea and I'm sure Kairos will allow me a day off after all the work we've been doing for the organization."

"You know I would let you go, Blake," Kairos interrupted. He had been eavesdropping on their long conversation since he could perfectly understand what they were talking about despite it being in a different language. "So are things between the two of you resolved? I would hate to see the two of you break off your friendship."

Blake and Amane nodded. "We've straightened things out," Blake told their group. "I've been invited to go with Dom to your estates. Would that be alright?" she asked Vittoria who just smiled at her.

"It would not be a problem," Vittoria said. She turned to Dom and said, "Speaking of which, when is the best time for you to come visit our estates? We have to discuss your moving in with us. Don't worry," she assured the girl. "I am sure that everything will fall into place when you come visit us. About your education, there is a nearby private school owned by a relative of mine. I am sure I could get you a scholarship in Wayland's School for Young Men and Women." She could not help but chuckle at the look of awe that developed on Dom's face. "It's one of the top schools in the country, but I'm quite sure you are overqualified to enter it. As for you living quarters, you could dorm in our estates and visit your parents on the weekend." She continued to explain the details to her young charge as Alegra and Kyna gave their own opinions and advice.

"May I have your cellphone number?" Amane asked Blake after turning away from the conversation of Vittoria and the others. "I will just contact you when you can come over to visit. I am quite sure that I overhead Vittoria mention that it would be great if you would chaperone Dom's visit since her parents and her sisters are equally busy."

Blake dictated her cellphone number then settled back into her chair. Little by little, the ice encasing her heart was starting to break away or melt. She was slowly starting to find her old friends, but she knew that it was not probable that she would be able to meet Shizuma again. Even if they did meet again, their feelings may already be different. Blake was a realist and she learned after the five years that she waited that optimism doesn't always bring results.

"So," Amane propped her chin against her hand and gazed at Blake from across the table. "Care to explain why you've become such a drunkard after all these years?"

A sudden ache occurred in Blake's head as her cheeks turned red. "Shut up, Amane," she growled. "I'm in no mood to give any explanations. Besides," she added. "I'm of legal age and I can do whatever I want!" She let out a low groan as her head began to ache with more intensity. She looked sullenly at the laughing Amane.

_I'm__ going to need another of those hangover potions,_ Blake thought as she scowled at her friend. _I must admit that I really missed these kinds of times when we used to talk and laugh at each other like this. _She started to laugh along with Amane despite the headache she was experiencing. _A lot of time has passed but __we're__ pretty much the same people we were five years ago. __I __still __can't__ help but wonder if _she _is still the same and if she still thinks of me._

* * *

* * *

_**First of all! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!**_

_**so sorry for the long wait. i know i promised that i would update more since i'm on break but i've been out of my house almost every single day until today. there wasn't really any internet in the places that i was in. hehe... so i didn't bother to bring my laptop with me on my trips. anyway, i hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I will try my best to come up with another by the end of this week! Advanced Happy New Year to all of you!**_

_**vampknight364: Blake really took it hard when Kairos took her away :( right now, she's in a state of denial, denying the fact that she still misses Shizuma despite saying over and over again that she's done with all the waiting. hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for the review!**_

_**Alaeri: i'm glad that the sudden turn of events has interested you. honestly, i was running out of ideas if i kept the setting on Astraea Hill and i thought it would eventually get boring. of course i didn't want to let Shizuma go through that and i was having second thoughts about making Kairos be that merciless when it came to protecting Blake. anyhow, thanks for your constant reviews! i really appreciate it!**_

_**Loorlover: i'm glad you like how the story is going so far :) and sorry for the slow update for this chapter even though i assured all of you that i would update more this christmas break. **_

_** next chapter: the visit to the aurora fields horse club, another old friend, the debut of the fashion designer and plans for the party. **  
_


	16. Reacquainting

_Chapter 16: "Reacquainting"_

"Now Dom, don't be too troublesome for Blake," Ash ordered her younger sister as she boarded the silver BMW X5 series car. Blake waited patiently in the driver's seat thinking back to how she had argued with Kairos earlier that morning that she should just take their 2006 Toyota Camry for the trip. The Camry was the car that the Lionheart Organization had given to Kairos and Blake upon their transfer to New York City. Kairos was not one to brag about his wealth and he certainly did not look like he had loads of money to spend, but due to his numerous activities in the organization he had become rich. A few months earlier, he drove home in a brand new, sleek sliver BMW X5 series car. Blake was appalled when she found out from Jez when she had asked her that Kairos had bought the car and paid it with cold hard cash. Kairos merely explained to her that he had always wanted a BMW car of his own. Since he hardly had any time to drive the SUV around, he thought that the Aurora Fields Horse Club trip would be the perfect opportunity to take it out for a drive.

"Awww sis! You know I won't be of any trouble to Blake!" Dom whined as she climbed into the passenger's seat of the SUV. Blake had dutifully woken up at seven in the morning to get ready and had driven to the Kingston residence to pick up Dom for their hour and a half trip to Highland, New York. It had taken longer than she thought to organize the trip. Dom was still a high school student and she had to attend school not to mention she was rather active in her extra-curricular activities. It was over a month later when the girl finally had a free time slot to pay a visit at the famed Aurora Fields Horse Club.

"Don't do anything weird during the ride! That X5 you're riding in is Kairos' baby!"

Blake could not help but laugh at how uptight Ash was being. "It's alright Ash," she assured the model. "I'm sure we'll be fine! Now we have to get going if we want to be there in time for the set appointment that Miss Hughes arranged." She glanced at Dom to make sure she had her seatbelt on. "I'll have her back by supper time." She and Dom waved goodbye to Ash then she drove the car down the road and made for the highway. "Do you get carsick?"

Dom shook her head and shyly smiled at Blake. "I only experience nausea when I'm riding larger transportation vehicles like planes." The young girl shuddered as she leaned back into the leather seat. "I was never a good flyer anyway."

The raven-haired woman smiled at her passenger. "Well, it's a relief that you don't get carsick," she told the girl. "I like to drive fast and your older sister was right about saying that this SUV is his baby. He gets into a fit whenever he sees so much of a fingerprint on the car." Blake noted the look of worry in the girl's eyes. "You don't need to worry. Kairos doesn't stand a chance against me when he starts complaining and besides it was his idea that I bring the X5 for this trip."

Dom sat quietly in her seat, glancing out the window occasionally and smoothing her auburn her with her fingers. She hardly knew anything about this tall mysterious raven-haired woman who sat beside her and it made her struggle to converse with her. Ash would kill her if she didn't make an effort to socialize so she decided to talk about the only thing she was very comfortable with. "Do you like horses, Blake?"

The driver glanced quickly at Dom then focused at the road ahead of her as she nodded her head. "When I lived in Switzerland when I was much younger, I spent a lot of my time in a huge horse ranch," she told the girl. "I learned how to ride horses there. When I went to Japan to study, I also rode horses with a friend of mine whenever I had time."

"You mean Amane?" Dom's eyes lit with admiration upon mentioning the equestrian's name.

"Yes. Did you know I got into a mishap when I challenged her to a handicapped horse race? I was riding bareback on this stallion called Darkmoon and I got thrown off at the finish line."

The red head's eyes widened. "What happened?"

Blake chuckled. "Oh I cracked a couple of ribs because Darkmoon got spooked by the students who had gathered to watch the race. I got him to stop in time to not trample-" her voice hitched all of a sudden on her throat as an image of a platinum-haired girl throwing herself onto the race course to protect a fellow student appeared in her head. She cleared her throat and continued, "-trample a couple of students who were pushed onto the race track. He reared up and I got thrown into a wall."

"That must have been a scary experience. Did you bring Darkmoon with you when you left Japan?" Dom asked, eying the iPod video set in the cup holder and was connected to the radio.

The twenty-three year old woman shook her head. "Darkmoon was never my horse," she replied. "He was the school's property although Amane mentioned to me that she brought Darkmoon along with her and her horse Star Bright when she graduated. I haven't seen them, the horses and Amane I mean, for five years." Blake noticed what Dom was looking at and asked, "Do you want to listen to music? I'm not so sure if you'll like the music that I have in my iPod."

"May I take a look?" She took the iPod in her hands and began to look through her long list of artists. "The Goo Goo Dolls?"

Blake smiled. "They've always been my favorite band. Ever heard of them?"

"Aren't they old?" Dom asked, giving Blake a strange look.

"Well they've been around for quite some time and I guess it's alright to say that they are old, but they're still popular until now," Blake explained. "Why not play one of the songs that I have there?"

The young auburn-haired equestrian scanned through the songs on the iPod and gave a look of surprise at her companion. "You have over fifty of their songs! I'm only familiar with one of them!"

"Let me guess… Iris?"

"How'd you know?" Dom asked.

"People often attach that song to the Goo Goo Dolls and they did become quite popular because of that song," Blake told her now very interested passenger. "Try playing Black Balloon, it's one of my favorites," she suggested, waiting for the younger girl to play the song. As the familiar opening riffs echoed through the SUV's sound system, Blake could not help but softly sing along. "Baby's black balloon makes her fly. I almost fell into that hole in your life."

Dom whipped her head to the side and stared at Blake. "Are you singing?"

"What's wrong with that? I did say it was one of my favorite songs!" Blake defended but remained quiet to let Dom listen to the song. When the song got to the chorus, Blake could not help but break out in song once more, albeit quietly singing. "Coming down the world turned over and angels fall without you there. As I go on as you get colder or are you someone's prayer." Upon finishing those lines, Blake suddenly felt a pang inside of her. _Why is it that I have to be able to relate to this song?_ She thought miserably, quickly telling Dom to pick another song.

"What's this one?" Dom asked, bringing Blake out of her thoughts. "Chop Suey?"

Blake blanched upon hearing the title of the song. "Errm… pick another song," she suggested, but grimaced when she heard the familiar twang of guitars playing the opening riff of the controversial System of a Down song. "I don't think you'd like this one," she told the girl just as the equalizers came on. Blake could not help but chuckle at the disgusted look that appeared on Dom's face. "I told you so."

"Why do you listen to this kind of stuff?"

The raven-haired woman shrugged her shoulders. "It's a song that I usually listen to and sing whenever I'm angry. It makes me feel better whenever I roar along with the lead singer."

Dom's jaw dropped open. "Roar?" she asked incredulously.

"Ok!" Blake exclaimed, exiting the highway and driving towards the nearest restaurant, which happened to be Denny's. "I think that's enough of my angry music!" she snatched her iPod out of the girl's hands and quickly turned the device off. "How about we have some breakfast? I haven't had any," she suggested. "Have you had breakfast?" She shook her head when Dom shook her head no. "Well, I'll treat you out for today. I have a craving for bacon, eggs and pancakes." She parked the car in an empty space in front of the restaurant and hopped out of the car. "Just don't tell your sister and her girlfriend that I treated you out," she added, leading them inside the cozy establishment. "They complain a lot about the fact that I rarely shell out money to treat them out."

After eating their breakfast, Blake and Dom hopped back into the car and drove down the highway for the remaining thirty minutes of the trip. Blake enjoyed the ride because she and Dom never ran out of things to say to each other. There were some points in their conversation where Blake would change the subject especially when Dom delved into the subject of having a boyfriend or girlfriend. The young girl got as far to getting Blake admit that she had been in a previous relationship, but could not get her to say any of the details. Blake felt relieved as she turned down into a less congested road and spotted the signed gate of the Aurora Fields Horse Club.

"Oh come on Blake!" Dom begged as the SUV pulled to a stop in front of the alcove entrance of the main building. "Can you at least tell me if it was a boy or a girl?" She hopped out of the SUV when Blake refused to answer and got out of the car. "Sis was right about you," she told Blake with a scowl as they entered the well-ventilated three-story building. "You can talk a lot but when it comes to talking about yourself, you might as well be a wall."

"Some people aren't so open to sharing about their pasts, Dom," Blake told the younger girl. "Especially if their past is a depressing one," she added. Blake eyed the shorter girl seriously. "I thought you promised your sister that you wouldn't be of any trouble to me. At the rate you're going, you will have to find a way home." Blake hid a smile when her threat seemed to work on the young equestrian. "Behave! I see our host coming this way!"

Sure enough, Vittoria Hughes was walking towards them in a stylish dark gray pinstriped Italian suit. A smile lit upon her face when she neared the raven-haired woman and her auburn-haired companion. "Ah good morning to you!" she greeted cheerfully. "Welcome to the Aurora Fields Horse Club! Did you have a safe trip?"

Blake nodded her head and gave a smile of her own to Vittoria. "The trip was very uneventful fortunately," she reported. "We would have gotten here a bit earlier but we took a side trip to get some breakfast." She looked past the horse club owner to see a familiar light blue-haired woman jog towards them. "I suppose you would like to take Dom here and brief her?"

Vittoria looked over her shoulder then focused her attention once more at Blake. "Oh yes, if it is alright I would like to have Dominique accompany me to my office first before touring her around the estates." She greeted Amane a pleasant morning when the young woman finally reached them. "Amane, would you be so kind to give Blake a tour while I talk with Dominique?"

"Of course Miss Hughes," the blue-haired equestrian agreed. "Will you be needing anything else?" Amane posed the question as she smiled at her storm gray-eyed friend.

The owner shook her head. "Nothing more," Vittoria told Amane then led their latest recruit up a flight of stairs and disappeared down a hallway.

"So what do you want to do first?" Amane looked closely at Blake who continued to stare up the stairs. "Tour inside the building or do you want to go to the riding fields and the stables?" she inquired. "Or perhaps you would like to meet the other equestrians who are part of this club?"

"I'd rather go outside to see the fields and the stables," Blake replied.

Amane nodded her head in agreement. "Surely such a nice day would go to waste if we were to spend it indoors," she proclaimed, leading Blake outside and down a small, asphalted road. "I see that your sense of fashion hasn't changed much in the five years that we have been apart," Amane drawled.

Blake looked down at her clothes and grinned at Amane. Her friend was right about her sense of fashion. She still preferred to wear collared shirts and pants of her usual favored hues very much like the outfit she wore today. She had hurriedly grabbed the clothes that came into her hands when she woke up earlier that morning to get ready for the trip. "Sorry about the outfit if you're complaining," she apologized to Amane. "But I was in a hurry and half asleep when I chose these," indicating her rolled up long-sleeved collared shirt and simple jeans.

The former Spica equestrian shook her head. "I'm not complaining," she assured her friend as they stepped off the asphalt road and began to trudge down a dirt one. "If you had dressed up for the occasion, you would not be able to go riding with me." Amane soon pointed out a low wooden white building that stood at the edge of a large field. "Those are the stables and that fenced in area beside it is where the horses can graze. Right now though, the only use that area has is to keep Darkmoon from causing a raucous."

"So he still doesn't get along with other horses?" Blake asked as they rounded the stables and made their way to the fenced grazing area.

Amane nodded her head. "Darkmoon sort of gets along with Star Bright, but not with other horses. He doesn't really like people too but he's toned down a bit." She noted the questioning look on Blake's face and explained, "He used to be quite rough with people but these days he just shies away and keeps to himself. It's rather unbecoming for a Friesian."

"Friesian?"

The blue-haired equestrian scratched her head. "Darkmoon is a Friesian. Didn't I ever tell you that?" When the other girl shook her head and replied that she may have known how to ride horses but that's about how far her knowledge on horses went, Amane continued, "Well Friesians are known to have good temperament, but Darkmoon is very contrary to that." She and Blake walked to the fence and she pointed out the familiar shiny black coated horse out. "He was most at ease when you were the one handling him. I'm pretty sure he remembers you, Blake."

Blake didn't need any more encouragement so she hopped over the fence and casually made her way towards the somewhat sullen and solitary horse. She was just a few feet away from the horse when Darkmoon raised his head and fixed Blake with a one-eyed stare. "I hope you still remember me, boy," she told the horse, raising her hands in the air to signify that she meant no harm. She smiled when Darkmoon seemingly snorted indignantly as if to say that he wasn't stupid enough to not remember her.

"So I was right that he remembered you," Amane called out from the fence. She had sat on the top of the fence while Blake was walking towards the Friesian. "I don't recommend that you try riding him-" she stopped, frowning when Blake stepped towards the horse and pulled herself up onto his back.

Blake nudged Darkmoon into an easy trot around the fenced-in area before leading him to a stop a few feet away from Amane. "He's a bit fidgety, but otherwise he's still the same as ever," she told Amane. "So are we going riding?"

Amane jumped off the fence and led Blake and Darkmoon to the gate. "If we're going riding, we should saddle Darkmoon and I have to get Star Bright ready too," she unlocked the gate and pushed it open. "Let me just open the stable doors." She ran ahead to slide the large stable doors open and motioned for Blake to lead Darkmoon inside the spacious building. "Darkmoon's tack is hanging on his stall door and on the wall of his stall," she told Blake as she made her way down the aisle to another stall where a dappled gray head peeked out to greet his owner.

Blake dismounted and briskly but gently put on Darkmoon's tack. Thankfully, Darkmoon stayed calm throughout the whole thing. She had just bridled the stallion when Amane led Star Bright out of his stall and onto the aisle to meet with Blake. "Have you reaped many awards while I was away?"

"Quite a few actually," Amane replied modestly, leading her horse out the stable doors with Blake and Darkmoon right behind her. "Remember, I only joined this horse club a little over a year ago so I haven't been able to join a lot of tournaments. So far I've only participated in three tournaments," she explained as she mounted Star Bright. "Shall we then? It takes around an hour to two hours to fully explore the estates."

"This club is that big?" Blake mounted Darkmoon and stroked his neck. "Well, I haven't ridden a horse since I left Astraea Hill so I'll make the most of this ride!" She lightly kicked Darkmoon and urged him to gallop down the dirt path towards seemingly green fields. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Amane and Star Bright were galloping several yards behind them. With the wind buffeting her body, Blake let out a bark of laughter. She had missed this feeling… the feeling of racing along with the wind. The past five years felt like an eternity of being imprisoned, but now at least for a few hours she was finally free from her shackles. "You're still a slow as ever Amane!" she shouted.

"You better watch what you say!" Amane shouted over the thunder of their horses' hooves. The two hours went by quickly as the two friends struggled to outdo the other. Amidst their shouts of challenges, taunts and the clutter of their horses' hooves against the ground, Blake and Amane looked like the students they used to be five years back. "You better put in that head of yours that I'm the more experienced rider!"

* * *

Inside a well-furnished office on the second floor of the main building of the Aurora Fields Horse Club, Vittoria Hughes and Dominique Kingston were ending their discussion regarding the latter's joining the club. They had spent a good hour and half poring over the details of everything regarding her membership and the things revolving around it. Dom was particularly worried about moving Night Shadow to a new home and that she would have to leave him if she was to go visit her parents on the weekends. Vittoria was quick to assure their newest member that they had quality facilities and staff so she would not need to worry about Night Shadow.

"Do you have any other questions?" Vittoria asked, leaning back on her leather office chair. She was hoping that they could move on to the tour of their facilities because she was feeling rather restless from sitting in the same position for a long period of time. Thankfully, the younger Kingston sister shook her head.

"I don't have any more questions as of now," Dom told Vittoria.

Vittoria sighed inwardly and smiled at the young girl. "Then we could move on and tour you around our estates," she said quite enthusiastically, which earned her a strange look from the redhead. Vittoria coughed delicately and got to her feet. "I will bring you first to the dormitories and perhaps we will be able to meet with the other members of this horse club." She walked around her desk, took Dom's hand and led her out of the office. "It would be a good idea if you would get acquainted with your fellow equestrians as early as now."

Dom let Vittoria lead her off to a set of stairs at the back of the building. "How many members do you have as of now?" she asked, going down the stairs with Vittoria at her side. "I've only met three of them a few days ago."

Upon reaching the ground floor, Vittoria and Dom walked through the back door and made their way down the asphalted street. "Including Alegra, Kyna, Amane, and you" she started, pointing at a two-story white building. "There are twelve equestrians who are residing in our estates. If I'm right, most of them are in the dormitories except for two of them who have gone back to their family homes."

Dom held her tongue for a few seconds before gathering enough courage to ask her next question. "Actually I have another question," she told the owner sheepishly as they walked through the threshold of the Aurora Fields' dormitories.

The tawny-haired woman gave her companion a weird look. "You said earlier that you didn't have any questions when I asked before we left my office," Vittoria reminded with a smile on her face. She could not help but release a chuckle at the sudden worried look that appeared on the redhead's face. "If you're worried about coming off rude, you shouldn't be so shoot!"

"So far I've only seen women equestrians and I assumed that since you yourself are a woman," Dom began then went silent.

"Are you asking if all the equestrians in this horse club are women?" Vittoria guessed then nodded a greeting to one of the staff members who worked in the dormitories. When the young girl nodded and looked away to hide her flushed cheeks did Vittoria continue. "Well it's perfectly reasonable why you'd think that way, but we do have some male riders only two though since the other one retracted his membership due to a better offer from another club," Vittoria explained. "Lorenzo and Emil stay on the second floor though while the girls reside on the first floor." She raised an eyebrow as the corners of her lips turned upward in a small smile. "Oh I understand now. Of course I should know that sixteen year old girls are interested and curious about those kinds of things now."

"I don't know what you mean," Dom stuttered and looked away as they finally reached a communal room riddled with couches, armchairs, tables, a wide screen TV and sound system. Several young women and two young men lounged around in the area before getting to their feet when their boss entered the room.

"Ah it's the big boss!" A grinning man with short, cropped ebony hair exclaimed. He looked to be in his mid twenties and stood at around five feet and seven inches. The other man who stood at his side had more a more youthful face, mid-neck long salt and pepper hair, and was a handful of inches taller than his companion was. "Did you bring us a new girl to flirt with? Emil and I are rather tired with these girls that we've been living with." The shorter man ducked as several small pillows were thrown at him. "Hey! Can't you girls take a joke?"

The gray haired man shook his head and backed away from his friend. "Please remember that I did not say anything and I am not in league with Lorenzo," he informed the girls around him. He shoved the shorter Lorenzo roughly and voiced out his greeting to Vittoria. "Good morning Miss Hughes and this might be our newest member?" he directed a charming smile at Dom.

Vittoria let out a laugh. "Even though you claim that you are not in league with Lorenzo, you still are such a charmer?" She led Dom towards the gathering group of young equestrians. "Your guess was right that this is our newest member. Everyone this is Dominique Kingston," she announced and motioned for the girl to step forward.

"Umm… Hi! I'm just Dom and it's a pleasure to meet you all," the redhead managed to let out before stepping back to stand at the side of Vittoria.

"She's quite shy so I'm expecting all of you to be like good older brothers and sisters to her!" Vittoria ordered. "Now why don't all of you introduce yourselves? Lily and Renee are not present but where are Blaise and Erika? Those two are inseparable so if one goes missing, it's expected that the other is with her."

After tossing the thrown pillows back on the couches, Lorenzo spoke up. "Those two usually do their morning exercises together at this time. They should be ending right-" He stopped when two girls clad in jogging suits burst into the room. "Ah here they are now! What's up you two? Something happened?" he asked.

"It's amazing!" One of the newly arrived girls exclaimed.

The other girl swiped at her forehead and threw her hair damp hair over her shoulder. "I have never thought that I'd live to see the day when it would happen!"

"What are you talking about, Erika? Just spit it out!" Lorenzo demanded but looked just as intrigued.

"Someone is riding Darkmoon!" Erika cried out and pointed outside.

"No way!" Many of them chorused.

Vittoria herself looked intrigued. "Darkmoon? You mean that horse that Amane brought with her from Japan?" she asked. "None of us could even manage to ride him nor even mount or saddle him! Who is this person riding Darkmoon then?" She was already making her way towards the door fully intending to find out who the person was. The rest of the equestrians and Dom followed her outside and onto the field.

"Amane and whoever's riding Darkmoon were a bit far off when Blaise and I spotted them," the rider called Erika informed them as they strode across the grass.

Vittoria whipped her head around to stare in disbelief at the rider. "Amane? Then it must be…" she muttered. "But it couldn't be! But there could not be anyone else with Amane!" Vittoria exclaimed and looked at Dom. "Could it be her?"

Dom nodded her head thoughtfully. "She did say that she knew how to ride horses and she did tell me that she rode a horse named Darkmoon when she resided in Japan a few years ago. I'm not at all sure about how this Darkmoon used to be or how he is now."

The other equestrians looked at each other quizzically. "Who's this she you're talking about? Do we have another new member?" one of the female riders asked as they gathered by the fence. "We were all expecting just young Dom over here."

Vittoria turned to look at all the riders and shook her head. "I'm sorry I didn't mention it, but Dominique did not come alone. She is chaperoned by one of her older sister's friends who happens to be an old friend of Amane when they were still in high school." She turned back around and leaned her arms against the chest high fence. "Erika, did you happen to see what the other rider looked like?"

Erika frowned. "They were too far away for me to properly see, but it was easy enough to see that the companion of Amane had sable-black hair. I couldn't tell too if Amane's companion was a boy or a girl though because of the distance."

"Blake's a girl," Dom announced, grinning at the thoughtful looks that had appeared on the faces of the older equestrians. To Lorenzo, she said, "I suppose you're going to say something like 'Another potential girl to charm and flirt with.'" Her grin became wider when the male rider rubbed the back of his head. She reverted her attention back to the field as the distinct thunder of hooves against the ground became louder and louder. Sure enough, a dappled gray horse and black Friesian appeared from behind a grassy hillock and raced towards them. A grinning and whooping Amane rode on Star Bright and pulled ahead of the raven-haired woman mounted on the infamous Friesian.

"It looks like a race."

"What else can it be?" Dom asked rather sarcastically, but put her fingers in her mouth and produced an ear-splitting whistle followed by a cheer. "Come on Blake! You had better win!" she shouted with her hands cupped around her mouth to amplify her cheer.

"Blake?" Lorenzo queried. "Is that her name? She sure looks like she knows how to ride!" he let out a low whistle before adding excitedly, "And look at her go! She's making a move on Amane now!" He and the rest of the group watched as the Friesian lengthened his stride pulled even closer to the leader of the race. "I'm guessing the finish line is that old fallen tree," he pointed several yards away from them indicating the fallen tree on the ground. "So whoever makes it over that log, wins."

The racing riders swallowed up the remaining distance from the finish line; the Friesian at par with Star Bright when they were only a hundred yards away from the fallen tree. Vittoria and the group noticed how Amane and the raven-haired woman leaned forward against the neck of their horses to lessen the air resistance their bodies were making. It was truly a serious race, albeit an exciting one. When they were just about to enter the last few yards of the remaining stretch of field before the fallen tree, Dom noticed Blake kick the Friesian and urge the stallion with her hands. Whatever it was she did, it made Darkmoon finally break away from Amane and Star Bright and eventually leap over the fallen log to claim first place.

"That was great!" Dom exclaimed, clambering over the fence and running toward the approaching riders. The rest of the group followed suit and also rushed towards Amane and Blake who had slowed their horses to a trot. "I never expected you to ride so well, Blake!" Dom gushed excitedly. She, Vittoria and the other equestrians crowded around the mounted women and all tried to give their congratulations at the same time.

"Don't! You'll spook Darkmoon!" Amane shouted and attempted to warn Blake but was too late. The Friesian had enough of the closed quarters that the group was giving him and had clearly become incensed. "Get out of the way!" Amane urged Star Bright to Blake's side and tried to reach over to grab hold of the stallion's bridle. The group scrambled away with Lorenzo and Emil each grabbing hold of Dom and Vittoria and dragging them away to safety. Amane missed on the first pass, but quickly made her move to attempt to grab hold of the angry stallion's bridle. All of a sudden, Darkmoon shied away and reared up mightily on his hind legs, subsequently throwing Blake off his back. _Déjà vu…_ Amane thought to herself, watching in horror as her friend once again flew out of her saddle. _All I can hope for is that she won't get injured or at least acquire minimal injuries only since she's going to land on grass and dirt. _Just when she was going to close her eyes to avoid seeing her friend land hard on the ground, the raven-haired woman did something astonishing.

Just like a cat or in this case a large cat very much like a panther, Blake seemingly twisted in midair and managed to land on her feet with her knees bent and almost touching the ground. Upon landing, the raven-haired woman carefully got to her feet checked herself over for any unexpected injuries. "Thought you'd get a replay of what happened five years ago huh, Amane?" she smiled at the still mounted Amane who had her mouth open. "I'd rather avoid attaining cracked or even broken ribs again," she said casually, dusting off her jeans. "I can't do much when I'm injured and you should know how much I hate staying in one place."

Amane forced herself to close her gaping mouth and quickly dismounted from her horse. She strode over to Blake and did her own examination of the older woman. "Are you sure you are not hurting anywhere?" She let out a relieved sigh then glared at the others. "All of you should have known better than to crowd like that! I warned you before that Darkmoon is skittish and easily gets angered."

"I apologize on behalf of our group," Vittoria stepped forward, watching as Blake turned around and walked over to the somewhat still angry Friesian who frolicked several feet away from them. "We were all rather excited that such a feat would occur on our estates so we all lost ourselves for a moment." She and the rest of the equestrians in her company all kept their astonished looks on their faces as they witnessed the Friesian calm down easily under the hands and soothing speech of the raven-haired woman.

Amane turned to look at what the company was staring at and let out a bemused chuckle. "I told you before that the only person who would be able to calm and ride Darkmoon would have to be a kindred spirit. If you've known Blake before, you could say that those two were cut from the same cloth." She waved to Blake and motioned for her to go ahead to the stables. The rest of them followed at a respectable distance.

"How'd you know her, Amane?" The equestrian called Erika asked. "Does Hikari also know her?"

Amane nodded her head while stroking the muzzle of Star Bright. "Remember I told you that there are three affiliated schools on this place in Japan called Astraea Hill," she reminded her friends. "Hikari and I attended Spica Academy while Blake attended the Saint Miator Academy. We all resided in the same dormitory so we all knew each other."

"So if she comes from the same place, then she is-" Kyna asked with raised eyebrows.

"I wouldn't mind going over to the other side with the way Blake looks!" Erika exclaimed giddily. "There's something with her stoic and nonchalant attitude that's such a turn on! Oh and I have to mention those piercing storm-gray eyes of hers! It's so alluring!" she giggled as her friends teased her. "Hey I would gladly pull a move on her if she does swing that way!" Erika defended herself.

"You shouldn't try," Dom advised the older woman. "My older sister's current girlfriend who happens to be the younger sister of Blake's guardian-slash-foster brother tried to pull a move on her but she was unsuccessful."

"Unsuccessful?"

Dom nodded her head as Amane entered the stables while the rest of them waited outside. "Sis told me that Jez's brother had a say in it and there's also the possibility that Blake just doesn't swing that way. I was able to get her to admit that she was in a previous relationship years ago, but that's just about it. I couldn't get her to tell me if it was a boy or a girl," she explained.

Erika let out a long sigh and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "And I was all set on trying it out!" she huffed out in disappointment.

"Try what out?" Amane asked as she and Blake walked out of the stables.

"That is racing against you and Blake!" Erika blurted out, struggling to hide her embarrassment as her friends hid their smiles and looks of amusement.

Amane gave Blake a strange look and shrugged. "Well I suppose that could happen, but I don't think Blake is up for any more riding for today." She saw her old friend nod her head in agreement. "Oh I'll introduce her to you guys. Everyone this is Blake Saberhart," she told the group. "She's an old friend of mine from my high school days in Japan. Miss Hughes, Alegra and Kyna know her already since they were with us when we tried to recruit Dom."

Blake nodded a greeting to the rest of the group. "It's a pleasure to meet you all," she told them with an easy smile on her face. She even shook hands with the two men who approached her. The brown-haired man kept his hold on her hand a bit longer than she expected so she tightened her hold to make him uncomfortable enough to let go. She still kept her smile on her face when the man retracted his hand and massaged it. "So what now? Are you done with your business with Dom?" she directed the question at Vittoria.

"With regards to the club and her membership, yes," Vittoria replied. "Right now, I believe we should all have lunch or I would say a really late lunch." She pointed at her watch, showing the group that it was close to one in the afternoon. "Afterwards, I would like to bring Dom to the Wayland's School for Young Men and Women." She frowned at the sudden chatter of the equestrians about coming along for the trip. "I said I was only going to bring Dom with me and not the whole club!" she scolded the riders. "Although Amane and Blake are welcome to come along if they wish to do so." She saw the two women nod their heads then clapped her hands. "It's settled then! We will all have lunch at the dormitory's cafeteria then Amane, Blake, Dom and I will head down the road to visit the school."

The group all made their way back to the dormitory and gathered at the cafeteria to have some lunch. They all had casual conversation with each other although many of them witnessed Lorenzo plotting to move over to the table of Amane and Blake, but was deterred whenever he would lock eyes with the raven-haired woman. He finally gave up and decided to flirt with their youngest and newest club member much to the embarrassment of the young redheaded girl. Much to the amusement of the group, their flirtatious Lorenzo slowly quieted down and inched back to his place at the side of his only male companion. Erika finally burst out laughing when she heard Dom mutter 'thank you Blake' under her breath. It turned out that Blake continued to throw icy stares at the young man as he flirted with the redhead. The clock chimed three when the group disbanded, majority of the riders heading up their rooms while Amane, Blake, Vittoria and Dom headed for Blake's SUV, which she gallantly offered for the short trip to the school.

Vittoria teased Blake about how protective she was over Dom while they strapped themselves in the SUV. "The look you were giving Lorenzo awhile ago was priceless! It reminded me of how a protective father would watch out for her daughter! God knows that my first boyfriend received the same treatment from my own father!" She and the other passengers laughed. Vittoria and Dom made themselves comfortable in the backseat while Amane sat in the front with their chauffeur.

"He has no right to flirt with her after trying his luck with me," Blake muttered, her cheeks turning red. "Besides, he's almost ten years older than Dom!" She drove the X5 onto the main road once more and followed the directions that Vittoria dictated to her from her seat. "Not to mention her older sister would kill me if she finds out." Blake let out a long whistle. "Is that the school? It's freaking huge!"

Vittoria grinned at the reaction of their driver. "Let's just say my uncle has more than enough money to spend on a school." The SUV drove through the large gate of the school and gave them a clear view of six buildings. "The two buildings up front are the classrooms for the students. Then there are the auditorium, the sports complex, the dormitories and the last building contains the offices, libraries and other facilities," she pointed out each building, acting her part out as the voluntary tour guide. "Go down this road a bit more and take us to that building," Vittoria pointed the building out. "Dom and I have to meet with my uncle who'll be able to fix Dom's transfer to this school."

Blake did as she was told and drove the BMW SUV to the entrance of the building where the school's various staff resided. She halted the car in front of the main entrance and waited for her passengers to get off. She raised her eyebrows at Amane when the girl did not follow Vittoria and Dom.

"I'll accompany you to the parking then we could just follow Dom and Vittoria."

Blake nodded her head, shifted to the drive gear and drove towards the nearest parking lot, which happened to be behind the building. They had no trouble at all with finding a parking space and were just about to walk around the building when Amane pointed out a back door. "It would make sense that they would construct a parking lot behind the building if there was a back door," she noted and received a grin from Amane. They entered the building to be greeted by an elderly woman seated behind a desk. The plaque set on her desk read that she was the secretary.

"Would the two of you happen to be the companions of Miss Vittoria Hughes?"

Blake and Amane confirmed the question by nodding their heads and returning the smile.

"Miss Hughes asked that the two of you wait for a while in our lobby while she takes care of matters with her uncle," she told the two young women. "She said that you wouldn't like to take the stairs to the top floor especially when the elevator is under maintenance." She pointed at a comfortable couch set against a wall hung with a large painting of a deserted beach then gestured at a nearby table with a coffee maker and plates of pastries. "Please help yourselves to the coffee and pastries."

The two young women nodded their thanks to the kind secretary and eased themselves into the couch with a cup of coffee in their hands. "It's a really nice place," Blake observed, sipping her hot coffee. "Have you ever been here before Amane?"

"Once but it was half a year ago. I was asked by Vittoria to accompany her," Amane replied. She and Blake watched as a group of students clad in blue blazers and blue green-checkered skirts walked through the open doors. The girls purposely stared at the young women sitting on the couch and began whispering and giggling at each other while Amane and Blake purposely made themselves look preoccupied with their coffee drinking. The group of uniformed girls strolled up and down the length of the lobby, each time finding their way back to the couch and its occupants. Finally, after they heard a bell toll distantly, the young students took one last fervent look at the Amane and Blake before scurrying out of the building.

"It seems like we still have that kind of effect on young girls," Blake joked, finishing her cup of coffee. "I'd think that the girls here wouldn't be swinging that way especially since it's a coed private school," she added. She took Amane's empty cup and deposited it on the table before looking up to see Dom heading down the stairs without any company. "Done already Dom? Where's Vittoria?"

Dom pointed up the stairs and jumped the rest of the remaining steps down. "She's still talking to her uncle about my transferring here so she told me to head down and find the two of you," she told Amane and Blake. "She also said that we could tour the campus."

Amane nodded her head. "That seems like a good idea to pass the time. Why don't we head over to the Sport Complex facility of the school? It's the nearest building from here." The three of them walked out of the door only to bump into the same group of students who had been throwing looks at Blake and Amane. Amane felt the beginnings of a frown develop on her face when an idea formed in her mind. She slung an arm around Dom's shoulders much to the surprise of the younger girl and said loudly, "Come along now, you don't want to be late for our date right Dom?"

Blake also linked her arm and Dom's arm together on cue. "You mean double date since she's going with you and me," she said seriously and carried a bewildered Dom away from the building and a group of shocked students. When they were out of earshot did Blake and Amane drop Dom back onto her feet. "Sorry about that, Dom," Blake apologized with sincerity. "Those girls have been eyeing Amane and I ever since we stepped foot into that building."

"We're sorry for using like that," Amane added and received a smile from the redhead.

"Oh so that what the two of you were doing," Dom mumbled out. "I had thought that the two of you had lost your minds all of a sudden to be interested in me." She walked in between the tall bodies of Blake and Amane as they dodged people, bicycles and the occasional car on their way to the largest building of the campus. Not only was the sport complex a large building but it also boasted a multipurpose field for football and others like track and field. Upon entering the infrastructure, they were surprised to see the length of the first floor riddled with four basketball courts. "Wow!" Dom exclaimed as she looked at a large sign that indicated what was found on each floor. "This sports complex has five floors excluding the swimming pool in the basement. The second floor has the courts for sports like badminton, volleyball and others. The third floor contains the dance studios, fourth floor has the gym and the fifth floor has the indoor tennis courts and offices."

Blake watched in interest as two groups of boys played basketball against each other in the nearest court. A few of the boys were taller than she was and she could not help but smirk when one of the boys who dribbled the ball down the court get trapped at the sideline and commit a turnover by stepping back over the half line. "Why don't we head outside first to check the playing fields then check each floor out afterwards?" The three of them spotted another door that would lead them outside and were walking towards it when a shout was heard.

"Watch out!" A woman's voice echoed from the other side of the room.

Blake already saw it coming from the corner of her eye. As one boy from the other team was inbounding the ball after the caused turnover, another student from the other team was able to jump up and swat the ball away when it left the hands of the inbounding basketball player. Unfortunately, he had done it quite enthusiastically so the ball was shooting outside of the court towards an unknowing redhead. With lightning quick reflexes, Blake snapped her hand forward, caught the ball one-handed and saved Dom from getting a possible headache. She slowly brought the ball down to her side, still gripping it with her long fingers as she stared at the mixed expressions on the players' faces. She was just about to tell the boys what she thought about annoying kids who got too cocky when an ear-splitting whistle tore through the air.

"You boys better apologize right now!"

"Oh come on coach!" The boy who swatted the ball off the court whined. "It isn't our fault that a bunch of trespassers come in the middle of our game!" He looked smug with his hands locked behind his head. "Besides what gives them the right to our apology when they're not even from here?" He started to laugh along with his friends.

"Hey you! Catch this!" Blake called out, winding up like a baseball pitcher and throwing the basketball with all her strength with one hand. Blake could not wipe the smirk off her face when the boy quickly put his hands before his chest and attempted to catch the ball. The cocky boy was successful in catching the ball, but immediately dropped it to the floor to cradle his fingers.

"Ouch! You damn bitch! You broke my fingers!" he shouted in anger.

"Broke? That is a bit extreme. I can honestly say that I threw the ball with enough force just to make your fingers hurt not unless you're weak enough to get it sprained," Blake said patiently, shoving her hands into her pockets and fixing the boy with an icy stare.

"Why you!" The callous boy had murder in his eyes as he began walking towards Blake when he suddenly found himself sprawled on the wooden floor on his back.

"Don't make me use another take-down move on you, young man! Apologize right now or I'll have all of you running a hundred suicides even if most of you aren't part of the team!" The woman who had shouted the warning scolded the supine form of the boy.

The boys all muttered out their apologies and scurried out of the sport complex, dragging their humiliated teammate behind them. Blake glanced over at Dom who was being comforted by Amane before focusing her attention on their savior. The woman was dressed in a dark green jogging suit and wore a blue cap over her head. Blake had made up her mind and was walking onto the court to thank the woman when the coach turned around, took off her cap and shook out her hair.

"I'm sorry about the boys. It's harder for me to control them since I'm a female. They usually behave when the male coaches are around," The black-haired woman said, running her fingers across her mussed hair then finally locking eyes with the person she was talking to. "Blake? It's been five years for crying out loud!" The woman shouted, striding over to Blake and clapping her on the shoulder. "Yeah, it's you alright! What? Are you just going to stare at me?"

Blake shook her head vigorously and clapped the other woman's shoulder. "Sorry about that. It's just that I've been bumping into old friends in the recent months and it is a bit unnerving for me," she apologized. "So how about you tell me and Amane over there what the hell you're doing in a private school in the United States of America, Kaname."

Kaname Kenjou still had her usual smile that most would mistake as a smirk. She looked the same as ever with the exception of her hair, which was now cut ridiculously short and was spiked up. "I teach here!" she explained. "Well, I'm actually just an assistant coach to the athletic teams here, but I do teach the taekwondo classes. I just started a few months ago after settling things back home in Japan."

"And Momomi?" Amane asked as she too received a friendly clap on the shoulder when she walked over to Blake and Kaname with Dom close behind her. "I would think that the both of you would be together."

Kaname shook her head. "She's still in Japan finishing her second degree, but as soon as she finishes she'll be moving in with me." She grinned sheepishly as she flashed them her ringed finger. "Momomi is still as mushy as she was back then so she got the both of us rings. Anyway, she has a semester left until she graduates and that will give me enough time to finish paying for the house I've bought," she informed her old friends. "Who's this?" She bent down and looked at Dom squarely in the eye. "Don't tell me you've replaced Hikari, Amane."

Amane lightly punched her former schoolmate on the arm. "This is Dom and she's the newest equestrian of the horse club I'm part of." Amane smiled as Kaname shook hands with the younger girl. "You'll be seeing her more often around here. She's going to dorm at our club's estates down the road and she'll be studying here soon."

Kaname grinned at the redhead. "That's great news!" she exclaimed. "Do you play any sports, Dom?" the assistant coach asked in a kind voice.

"I'm an equestrian mostly," Dom replied. "But I do play football once in a while with my friends. I'm not a pro though."

"Well, you're not expected to be a pro at everything, but you're still required to enlist in one of the physical education classes offered when you transfer," Kaname assured the girl. "I suggest that you do take on the football class or the taekwondo class because I handle those for the girls." Kaname turned away from Dom and looked at Blake with a gentle look in her eyes. "Have you found her yet, Blake?"

"Kaname," Amane hissed, elbowing her friend hard in the ribs.

The spiky-haired woman yelped in surprise pain and glared at her attacker. "It's just an innocent question!" she argued. "And all of us knew how much she suffered when Blake just left! I'm sure they've been looking for each other. So have you found her yet?" she asked the question once more, jumping away from another well-aimed elbow from Amane.

"Aha! So it is a girl!" Dom shouted out triumphantly.

Blake let out a long sigh. "That was years ago," she muttered, running her fingers down the bridge of her nose. She turned to Kaname and said, "I have been looking for her, but I gave up a year ago after coming up fruitless from all the attempts I did. I'm not really expecting to find her anytime soon, Kaname."

Dom was about to pry about the Blake's unknown lover when Amane covered her mouth with her hand. "What?" she asked when the older equestrian took away her hand.

"You're just going to make her more depressed! Whenever she delves into the topic of her past relationship, it does not do her any good!" Amane quickly explained to Kaname how Blake developed her bad habit of resorting to alcohol whenever she would get depressed.

"I can hear you, you know!" Blake scowled at her two friends. "You seem to think that I'm the type to space out whenever I get into one of those depressed moods of mine." Her scowl disappeared when she saw the worried look on Dom's face. "Look, I'll tell you about it a little on the car ride home," she relented. "But only parts of it!" she hurriedly added upon seeing the sudden grin that appeared on the girl's face.

"Ah there you are! I've been looking for the three of you!" Vittoria walked over to their group with a large brown envelope tucked in the crook of her arm. She handed the envelope to Dom and said, "Everything settled, you will be moving into our dorms next weekend and will start attending classes at this school right after that." She raised her eyebrows at the unfamiliar face.

Amane took the initiative and introduced her former schoolmate to the owner of their horse club. "Miss Hughes, this is my old friend Kaname Kenjou. She is currently employed as part of the athletics department of this school," she announced as Kaname and Vittoria shook hands. "Blake and I know her when we were still studying in Japan."

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Hughes," Kaname greeted while tucking her cap into the pocket of her jogging pants. "I am pleased to know that one of your members will be transferring and studying in this school that I serve. Rest assured that I will keep an eye on her and keep her safe."

Vittoria smiled widely at Kaname. "I truly appreciate your offer!" She looked at Blake, Amane and Dom. "It's getting quite late. I need to get back to the club to finish some paperwork and Blake and Dom need to go back to downtown New York."

"May I know your cellphone numbers?" Kaname asked Amane and Blake, fishing her cellphone out of her other pants pocket and punching in her friends' contact numbers. "We should all meet up some time. Have a reunion of some sort!"

Blake smiled at Kaname and allowed the younger woman to give her a quick hug. "That would be great and I'm sure Miyuki would like to go along if we do come up with a reunion get-together."

"Rokojou-san is here too?" Kaname asked. "Then we should definitely plan this reunion! Well I have work to do upstairs! I'll be expecting either of you to call me! See you later!" Kaname waved goodbye to all of them before jogging over to the nearest elevator and disappearing behind its closing doors.

"Shall we then?" Vittoria asked and led their small group outside and back toward the parking lot.

* * *

"So can you tell me about her now?" Dom asked as she and Blake entered the main highway after grabbing an early dinner at one of the local restaurants. After dropping off Vittoria and Amane at the club estates, Blake and Dom did not dither long and began the trip back home. Blake had suggested that they eat an early dinner because she was feeling rather hungry after that day's adventure. Just as the two of them were left alone, Dom could not stop bugging Blake to tell her about her mysterious lover from the past much to Blake's dismay.

"You're distracting me from my driving!" Blake growled, reaching for her iPod and hastily picking a song to play on the SUV's sound system. "And stop bounding around like that! It's giving me a headache!"

"But you promised!" the redhead whined.

Blake glared at her passenger. "I didn't promise anything!" She let out a sigh after getting control of her emotions. "I did tell you a while back that I would tell you parts of what happened in the past," she told the girl. "I'll keep my word despite not promising anything." She stayed silent for a few seconds as she gathered her thoughts. "She was my first friend when I transferred to Saint Miator Academy," Blake started. "It all started out innocently enough, the flirting and the eventual dating if that how you would call it, but I realized that it was something more after I got into a tussle and ended up unconscious. She and I were so different from each other, but we both had similar pasts that weighed us down. Eventually she professed her love for me and also made me profess my love for her."

"Where and how did he profess her love to you, Blake?" Dom asked, curiosity sparking in her eyes.

Blake turned away when she felt heat suddenly flow up to her face. "She was alone with me in my room after I woke from my unconscious state," she mumbled out and could not find it in her to continue because of embarrassment.

"And?" Dom pressed on.

"The gist of it is that she pinned me on my bed, quoted a line from Shakespeare's works and kissed me," Blake mumbled feeling all the more embarrassed as her passenger began to giggle. "Anyway, I had thought that we would be together, but things came up and I was taken away against my will from Japan. It took me two years before I managed to go back and find out what had happened to her and my other friends, but most of them had already graduated. I did try looking for her for the next four years, but I gave up after that."

The young equestrian looked at Blake with a strange look in her eyes. "Are you sure you've given up on her?" she asked quietly.

"Why do you ask that?"

"Because whenever you mention her, there's this spark in your eyes. It's briefly appears first before it looks empty and cold," Dom explained. "Deep inside I'm sure you're still looking for her, hoping that you'll see her again."

Blake shook her head. "Perhaps your theory is right, but I cannot admit it as of now if I do feel that way." The two of them did not say anything else to each other as the ride home continued. She and Dom felt contented enough to listen to Blake's wide array of music for the rest of the ride. The skies had gone dark when Blake finally pulled up in front of the Kingston residence.

"Blake, please come inside and meet my parents if they're home already!" Dom pleaded. Blake had expressed earlier that she was just going to drop her off and head straight home to rest.

"I must refuse you on this one," Blake told the girl. "I'm really tired and I do need to beat the rush hour traffic," she explained. Blake smiled tiredly at Dom as she hopped out of the car and waved to goodbye. "I'll see you around," she called out from her opened window. She was revving the SUV up and about to punch the gas when the Kingston's door burst open and out came running Jez with Ash right behind her.

"Blake!" Jez shouted. "Don't leave me! You're supposed to be my ride home!"

The raven-haired woman rolled her eyes and put the car back on parked mode. "Hurry up or I'll leave you!" she shouted out of her window, watching the red-streaked blonde hurriedly kiss her girlfriend, hug the younger sister and sprint down the driveway towards the SUV.

"You're a mean one, Blake! Did anyone ever tell you that?" Jez huffed as she and Blake finally trudged into their apartment. The traffic had kept them on the road for an additional twenty minutes and Blake had become cross with all the waiting. To pass the time, Blake had resorted to teasing Jez throughout the ride home, which wasn't taken lightly.

"Serves you right for all those other times you teased me!" Blake retorted, placing the keys on the living room table then headed to the kitchen to grab a drink. "Is Kairos home yet?" she asked no one in particular.

"I'm in my room!" The man shouted within the confines of his bedroom. "You could come in if you want!"

"Oh I'm coming in too! I have good news!" Jez exclaimed and bounced into her older brother's room. Blake followed suit at a more reasonable pace and had a glass of water in her hand when she closed Kairos' door behind her.

The eldest of the Blackthorn siblings looked up from his laptop and smiled at his ward. "How did it go? Did it tire you out?"

Blake started to recount that day's events after seating herself on the carpeted floor of Kairos' room. She told both Kairos and Jez about how she had gone horseback riding with Amane, her meeting with the present members of the Aurora Fields Horse Club, her trip to the soon-to-be school of Dom and her eventual meeting with Kaname Kenjou. She diligently excluded the part where Dom had found out about Shizuma and had pried some of the details from her.

"It's great that you've met one of you old friends, Blakey!" Jez addressed Blake by the nickname she exclusively used on her. "Anyway I have good news!" she bounced up and down on Kairos' bed, which received a glare from her older brother. "I got my big break on my line of clothing!"

Blake blinked a few time before forcing herself to smile and be happy for Jez. "That's great! I knew that you'd be successful eventually!" Blake congratulated the slightly older woman. "So what's going to happen then?"

"Well I'm going to have several pages of this famous fashion magazine showcasing my new line of clothing," Jez explained as she struggled against her older brother who was ruffling her hair. "I'm due for a photo shoot in two weeks, but I'm going to throw a party first the weekend before the photo shoot." She finally got out of her brother's hold and jumped off the bed. "You and Kairos are going right?" She stared at Blake with puppy dog eyes.

Blake chuckled at the excitement of Jez. "You know that look doesn't work on me, but sure I'll attend your party," she told Jez, only to burst out laughing when the red-streaked blonde jumped into the air and let out a loud whoop. "As for your photo shoot, I'm assuming that Ash will be modeling your line of clothes."

The grin on Jez's face was replaced by a frown. "Ash agreed that she would be the model for my line, but I just found out a while ago that her agent had her signed up with another clothes designer for that week. So most probably she won't be my model," she explained. "Fortunately, an old classmate of mine from fashion school called up and said that she knew someone who would perfectly fit my designs. This someone isn't a model from what my friend tells me, but she can easily pass as one so I'm going out tomorrow to meet her and my friend."

Blake got to her feet and mightily stretched her body. "I hope everything goes well with that," she told Jez. "I'm going to bed." She bid Kairos and Jez goodnight before heading out of Kairos' room and placing her empty glass in the kitchen sink. She was about to enter her room when Jez grabbed hold of her arm. "What is it?"

"Blake, do you want me to hook you up with someone?" Jez asked without a hitch.

"What?"

Jez smiled and put her hands on her hips as she looked up at Blake's face. "You need to get a boyfriend or a girlfriend! You're young and you need to find love!"

"Jez," Blake warned. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not looking into getting into relationships at the moment?" The annoyance in her voice just made the younger Blackthorn sibling grin more.

"A lot of times, but since you promised to go to my party I'm going to introduce you to all my nice and single boy and girl friends! I'm sure one of them will catch your eye!" Jez winked at Blake and ran off to her bedroom without letting Blake respond.

While Blake lay in her bed staring into the darkness of her room, a barrage of thoughts ran through her head. Was she indeed ready to get a move on and start anew? But how about that spark in her eyes that Dom was talking about earlier? Did she firmly believe that it was possible that there is still something within Blake that was hoping and waiting for _her_? There was a large part of Blake who sorely wanted to forget about everything in the past and just get on her with her life. Unfortunately, it was the small part in her that kept her awake every night and it was definitely going to keep her up on this particular night after the events that had occurred that day.

* * *

_**finally another long awaited chapter! well, i might not be able to update quicker because i go back to school for the new and last trimester of this school year. going to quite a busy term for me but i will still try my best to come up with chapters! **_

_**Alaeri: Thanks for the professional advice about horses. it helped me out when i wrote this chapter. i have not been able to read the manga but i did hear about how Shizuma knew how to ride horses in them. she rode a horse for one the etoile battle events am i right? hehe... well one thing is for sure... you will have no need to pout anymore :) **_

_**DonnaUotani: That obvious huh? Well there was no better way that i could think of to reintroduce Amane back into the story. hehe... thanks for loving it! it makes my heart swell in a good figurative way :)**_

_**vampknight364: depressing but somewhat funny? well i know you said it was a joke but i still don't understand how it came off that way. hahaha! **_

_**loorlover: sorry if it was a bit too predictable. hehe... i'm glad though that you still liked it. **_

_**next chapter: the party, the fated reunion and a designer playing cupid **_


	17. Fated Reunion

_Chapter 17__: Fated Reunion_

An entry in the journal of Blake Saberhart dated in the month of August…

_Is this what people describe as feeling hollow? For me it__ i__s more like feeling indifferent, but then when I sought advice from Kairos he referred me instead to his sister. It was as if I could unders__tand what Jez was trying to say though. I had a hard enough time piecing together the collection of stammering or stuttering that she did while trying to explain what I was feeling in her attic studio. Ash __didn't__ help any better when she arrived to pick up her girlfriend for their date. __Later that night I ended up driving down to the Under the Night Sky bar in an attempt to drown my frustration on the matter without being found out. __It was the bartender-singer Kate who finally coined the term __"__hollow__"__ for what I was I feeling as she used her sleight of hand skill to steal my drinks. It was when I staggered through our apartment door when it finally hit me that I was indeed feeling hollow. I guess __it's__ only logical to say that it was born from the years of loneliness and regret. __It __didn't__ help me any better too when Jez started to call me "__emo__" because of __the now usual somber expression on my face.__ I __can't__ blame her because even Kairos agrees that my own hairstyle and clothing are __contributing to the newly bestowed title.__I caught Jez trying to open my photo album of my days spent on Astraea Hill the other night. __She had found the dusty thing in the unused study room in our apartment. I assumed that Kairos had hidden it properly,__ but then again it would not__ been found if he had done so. __Jez annoyed me for most of the night trying to get me to open the lock of the album. Even if I had the key with me, I __wouldn't__ have agreed to it and besides__ the key was with Kairos. __I was in no mood to have an up and coming fashion designer going through my past memories so I hid the album in the bookshelf of my room. An additional threat of hanging Jez upside down__ by her feet__ on the balcony assured me that my memories were safe. __The girl gave up on her original plan and instead besieged me with questions about the mysterious girl from years ago. I had completely forgotten about the fact that Dom had found out about th__e platinum-haired woman from my__ past and the likeliness of her gossiping with her older __sister. __It's__ a small world after all… _

_Almost a week has passed since I chaperoned Dom to the horse club and things have been dull except for the fact that Jez's party is tomorrow night. The week would have been more interesting if our planned Astraea Hill reunion pushed through, but then Kaname had to accompany one of the varsity teams to their games and Miyuki had a parent-teacher conference to attend due to the many escapades of her young son. __I ended up doing a number of things due to boredom and I am __pretty sure__ that I will receive Kairos' disapproval if he finds out. __Maybe Jez was right. Maybe I needed to get a love life so that I get back to being __normal. Bah! I was never normal and I will never be normal!_

* * *

_ Mid-morning in the Saberhart and Blackthorn office… _

* * *

"What the hell is that?"

Blake could not help but flinch at Kairos' tone of voice as she toiled away at her desk. She gathered her wits and casually looked up from her papers to meet her guardian's steely gaze. "What the hell is what?" she threw back in an uninterested voice.

The tired but annoyed looking Kairos pointed threateningly at Blake's face. "That!" he almost shouted in a hoarse voice. "When did you get that?" The blonde man's eyes seemed to almost pop out of its sockets as his charge continued to stare at him in disinterest.

"You're not making any sense you know," the raven-haired woman commented. "Is there something on my face?" Her eyebrows finally flew upward in realization when her guardian pulled at his ear. "Oh. You mean these." Blake tucked her hair behind one ear to show her guardian the array piercings. On her right ear, there were two silver studs on the lobes and an ear cuff that covered three-quarters of an inch of the upper rim of her ear. On the other ear, she had an amber drop on her earlobe, which was connected to another ear cuff higher up on her ear by a thin silver chain.

Kairos continued to gape at his charge. "You got five piercings in one go?"

"You're making it sound like it's a sin to get my ears pierced."

"But five Blake? _Five?" _Kairos shook his head as he sank into a chair. "What gave you the urge to suddenly get piercings and where the hell did you get them done?" He sounded defeated while he unconsciously began to rub his ears.

"I befriended a tattoo and piercing artist at the bar and he found it weird that I didn't have a single piercing on me," Blake told the older man, looking once more at her papers. "I beat him at a drinking game and he promised me a free piercing session and all I needed to pay for were the earrings. Look at it this way," she put the documents in a folder and set it aside on her table. "At least it isn't a tattoo."

Kairos let out a loud groan. "Well that does make me feel a little bit better," he admitted with a shaky grin. "I must say that you have good taste in earrings particularly that slave earring on your left ear." The look on his face went serious again. "Is there anything else you want to _show _me?"

"If you're thinking that I have other piercings then you're wrong," Blake assured the man.

"Good. The next time you decide to do something out of the ordinary, please be considerate enough to tell me first," Kairos ordered. "I do worry about you, you know." He reached across the table and ruffled his charge's unruly mane of raven black hair.

"Need I remind you about my age?" Blake retorted, moving her head away from Kairos' hand but could not help but smile at him.

"That you're old enough to heed the advice of my younger sister and find a love life?" Kairos shot back and ducked a vicious arm swipe from the woman on the other side of the desk. "Touchy now, aren't we? You should really look to taking up Jez's offer of introducing you to all her nice single guy _and _girl friends."

"Say another word and it won't just be an arm swipe that you'll get," Blake snarled.

Kairos laughed heartily as he put his hands up in surrender. "It's harder to tease you but it's definitely more fun compared to teasing my little sister." He walked back to his desk but stopped midway across the room. "By the way, please try not to encourage Jez with your piercings," he told his charge. "Jez has done too many crazy things to my liking and I absolutely feel that the traditional single piercings she has on each ear is enough."

"That girl has always been crazy anyway and besides what other crazy things has she done anyway to make you feel that way?"

Kairos sat on the edge of his table and looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling. "Well aside from catching her at a nearby tattoo parlor run by a biker and custom painting our first car with her own hands…" Kairos continued to enumerate the long list of crazy things that Jez had done over the course of time. The younger Blackthorn sibling was definitely the wild rebel in the family, but was talented and an honor student in school.

"Are you worried that she might pull off something crazy tonight at her party?" Blake clasped her hands together and set her elbows on her desk. After ten years of knowing the man, she knew that he was easily worried with unnecessary things. "I don't think she'd do something as crazy as…"

"Making the party into an orgy?" Kairos interrupted.

Blake scowled and narrowed her eyes at her guardian. "Aren't you taking this a bit too far?" she asked the man who was leaning back against his chair and tapping his desk with his fingers. "You belittle the principles of your sister, Kairos."

The man shrugged his shoulders and continued to tap out an intricate beat on the sanded wood of his desk. "She has her principles but she has tested the limits of her beliefs," Kairos told the younger woman. "She has slept with not more than three men in the past six years, two of them just days apart from each other." He smiled crookedly at Blake from his side of the room. "That's what me and my parents get for believing her that independence would make her a responsible woman."

"Still," Blake said, pulling out her cellphone from her pocket and glancing quickly at its screen. "It doesn't mean you should immediately believe that she would do such a disgraceful thing in her party. You're her older brother," Blake reminded. "You may be partially blind to it, but she respects you and she holds your respect for her in a high place." The raven-haired woman waved a hand before her eyes when her guardian raised his eyebrows at her. "I have eyes Kairos and I see certain things more clearly than you can so stop worrying and take my word on this!"

A sigh escaped Kairos' lips. "Alright Blake," he finally agreed. "I will take your word that my sister will not do anything as crazy as transforming her party into an orgy."

Blake nodded approvingly at her guardian's maturity before fixing him with a scowl. "And since when did you start mentioning such sexual terms? You've been looking at much more porn that usual, haven't you?" she accused the man, hiding a smile with her clasped hands as she leaned her elbows against her desk.

Kairos coughed hard and looked away from Blake's piercing storm-gray eyes. "What gives you that notion?" he asked in a straight tone. "Besides, I'm a man and we men do have our needs."

"And raging hormones too I bet," Blake added wickedly, chuckling when the dark redness on Kairos' cheeks contrasted with the lightness of the color of his hair.

The blonde man grunted something that sounded unmistakably like a curse before glancing at the small clock atop his desk. "It's past time for lunch," he announced, getting up from his chair and stretching his arms up in the air. "I could do for some food, but not from this place's cafeteria."

"Bored of the food?"

Kairos nodded and grabbed his wallet from an opened drawer of his desk. "Aren't you bored of the same menu that they offer?" he asked Blake, shoving the shiny leather wallet into his back pocket. "The food they serve already tastes bland in my mouth." He motioned for Blake to follow him out of the office.

A grin appeared on Blake's smooth and angled face. "Aren't you being a bit too dramatic?" she teased the man she considered to be her older brother. The both of them had come a long way since their fight five years ago. Kairos seemed to be more considerate about the feelings of Blake and did not force her into doing anything against her will. "You complain too much these days," she said as they stepped out in the open and wove through the moving wave of pedestrians on the street. "The high quality lifestyle we've been living has gotten to your once humble head."

"Don't scold me like I'm a child, Blake," Kairos scoffed, exchanging glares with a man who bumped into his side as they crossed the street along with a horde of people of different ages. "I am the older and more learned between the two of us." The reminder was shrugged off by his raven-haired companion. "Have you tried eating at that Greek restaurant?"

Blake stood behind the taller man as they waited for the pedestrian light to go green. "You mean that restaurant beside the playschool?" She shook her head and lightly pushed Kairos forward when the light flashed green. "I haven't gotten the chance to eat there."

"Well the food is great!" Kairos glanced over his shoulder to look at Blake. "One of our organization friends brought me along for a dinner party with her associates. Good quality for a reasonable enough cost." He quickly elaborated the food that was served on that particular night and how the management was so gracious to have given Kairos a free slice of their famous blueberry cheesecake after their assigned waitress caught him sighing over the transparent cake and pastry display.

"I bet you did that on purpose to get that free slice," Blake joked. She knew that Kairos tended to have his aloof moments despite being one of the most influential members of the Lionheart organization. "You've done the same thing in similar occasions."

The broad shoulders of the guardian visibly stiffened at the accusatory tone in Blake's voice. "Must you always point out my shortcomings?" he asked in mock woefulness. They halted at the front of the small Greek restaurant, peered quickly through the windows then walked through the open door. "It is hard for me to understand why I am frequently victimized by your criticisms." He led them to a vacant table by the large glass window and beckoned for the waiter as they sat down.

"You're being overly dramatic again Kairos," Blake reminded, rolling her eyes. "It's not my fault that you present yourself as an easy target." She and Kairos accepted the offered menus from the waiter and placed their orders after a minute of pondering. They continued to talk about normal things as they devoured their selected dishes of a typical Greek salad of cheese, olives, peppers and herbs, artichokes fried in olive oil and the popular gyros. Blake was dabbing at her lips with her table napkin when Kairos asked her an unexpected question.

"Would you want to try attending a university?" Kairos asked as he tore a piece of his pita bread and used it to wipe the sauce-laden surface of a dish.

Blake blinked at her guardian and set her napkin down on the table. "Why are you asking me this? I'm at an age where people would say that I'm supposed to be at a job and not in a college campus." She watched her friend pop the pita bread into his mouth and take the remaining pieces to do the same ritual.

The man shrugged his shoulders as he swallowed the last of his pita bread. "I thought that you'd like to have a chance to go at it since you did do a year of high school," he explained before narrowing his eyes at his charge. "And who says that you're too old to be in college? There are plenty of people who are much older than you are who attend college."

"I'm not trying to be normal." The glare thrown at Kairos was icier than the usual.

"I didn't say that," Kairos protested, putting his hands up in defense.

Storm gray eyes flashed. "But you did imply it with what you said. Stop patronizing me Kairos. It's just going to make me more annoyed."

"You're just being irritable because the thought of going to a university reminds you of your Astraea Hill days," Kairos reproached, feeling a little annoyed himself.

Blake's eyebrows furrowed as she glared harder at her companion. "Who would want to dive back into that after having it all taken away from you in a blink of an eye?" Her voice was no longer a hissed whisper. "I'm never going to get the same happiness like from those days," she glowered at her guardian from across the table. "I won't meet another _one _in any university."

"You're acting like a brat again, Blake," Kairos warned in an almost too patient voice. The other diners in the restaurant were starting to feel nervous at the situation. The servers and the manager were speaking in whispers at a corner of the establishment, some of them pointing and eying the table of Blake and Kairos. "You keep reminding me about your age but you are so immature about unimportant things!"

"Unimportant?!" Blake said in a half shout, getting to her feet and gripping the sides of the table. "Why I ought to-" she stopped herself in time to avoid making a scene, but snapped her head to the side to find the source of the flurry of knocking. The raven-haired woman's face softened as she stared down into Ryuusuke's grinning face. "Stay there," Blake mouthed to the boy from inside the restaurant before stepping away from the table and heading outside. "Where's your mom, Ryu?" Blake squatted on the ground to be at eye level with the blue-haired boy.

"She's coming, Auntie Blake!" Ryu hooked his small and chubby fingers on his backpack's straps. "I saw you from outside the window and I was going to ask if we could have some ice cream together like the last time you visited." He looked hopefully up at Blake and seemed to bounce in place due to his excitement.

"I got a better idea," Blake smiled at the young boy. "Come inside with me and I'll introduce you to someone and you could take your pick in the desert menu of this restaurant," she jerked her thumb at the establishment. "Are you up for it? I shouldn't even bother asking because you're game for anything I give to you."

Ryu chuckled and waited for Blake to get back on her feet before taking hold of the woman's hand. "I really can order anything from the desert menu auntie Blake?" Ryu looked up at Blake with wide and shining eyes.

Blake let out a laugh and gently patted the boy's head with her free hand. "You can get anything," she promised, signaling a waiter to get another chair for her extra guest. Once she sat the boy down comfortably in his chair, Blake turned to Kairos and handled the introductions. "Kairos this is Ryuusuke Fierro," she watched and hid a smile as the young boy stuck his small hand out in an attempt to shake hands. "Ryu this is Kairos Blackthorn, my foster brother and guardian."

Kairos gently took Ryu's hand into his own and gently shook hands with him. "Miyuki's?" he looked at Blake from his side of the table. "Now that you mention it, he really is a carbon copy of Miyuki," he mused, returning the playful grin of Ryu with an equally playful but at the same time amused grin.

"You and Blake don't look alike!" he pointed out with a serious look on his face. "And she told me that the two of you were brother and sister!" He stuck his finger out and pointed at Kairos' blonde hair and Blake's sable black hair. "Did uncle Kairos stay out under the sun too much that's why his hair turned yellow?"

Blake let out an undignified snort and snickered at her guardian who turned red from the boy's hypothetical suggestion. "Well you had a good idea, but your hair doesn't turn from black to yellow if you stay under the sun too long," Blake explained to the young boy. "I told you that Kairos is my foster brother. It means that we aren't related, but I call him brother anyway."

"Foster! It's like pretend right?" Ryu tried to explain with a goofy smile on his face.

Kairos fingered the bridge of his nose and turned to Ryu to try his luck with explaining what the term meant. "It's something like that. It's better to describe it as making someone your brother or sister even if you're not related, but are really close to each other like real brothers and sisters."

Ryu frowned hard, his eyebrows almost knitting together as he tried to comprehend the explanation of Kairos in his still developing mind. "So foster is pretending that you're brother and sister even if you aren't… but you're still brother and sister?" His face scrunched up. "I'm confused!" His cry made Blake and Kairos laugh.

"Never mind Ryu," Blake told the boy. "Now why don't you choose a dessert from the menu?" She opened the menu for the blue-haired boy and pointed out the pictures of the desserts. "How about this one?" she pointed at a picture of a slice of apple crumble pie topped with vanilla ice cream. "Instead of having just plain ice cream, you could have it with some apple pie." Blake signaled the waitress to ready the dessert, knowing that Ryu would decide to get it.

"Sold!" Ryu cried out happily then giggled as Kairos ruffled his hair. "Wow that was fast!" He bounced on his chair as the waitress set the plate of apple pie in front of Miyuki's son. He took his fork and hurriedly began to ferry piece after piece of pie into his mouth. He polished the slice of pie in three minutes flat and ate the melting ice cream within another minute. He sat down patiently as Kairos took charge and began to wipe Ryu's hands, mouth and cheeks with his table napkin. "How will you get all the cute girls to chase after you if you eat messily like a little pig?" Kairos joked.

"I'm not a little pig!" Ryu laughed, pulling away from Kairos' hands. He began to wave to someone on the other side of the window. "Mommy!" he shouted, while Blake and Kairos turned to look outside to see Miyuki standing outside and looking in on them.

"Come on little guy,' Blake hoisted Ryu into his arms. "Time for you to go home now." Blake proceeded to go outside with the very hyper boy in her arms while Kairos followed her. "Hello Miyuki," Blake greeted as she transferred Ryu into the waiting arms of his mother. "It's been a while."

"Hi Blake," Miyuki greeted back then kissed her son's cheeks. To Ryu she said, "Ara! You're going to become fat with Blake around!" She cuddled her son some more before putting her attention on the blonde-haired man who stood at Blake's side. "Kairos-san" she greeted with a bow. "It is a pleasure to see you again after such a long time."

Blake's guardian also bowed in response to Miyuki's greeting. "Likewise Miyuki-san," he smiled at the young mother and gestured at her son. "You have a handsome son who takes after you. Quite rambunctious, but he's a good one."

Miyuki brushed her hair back over her shoulder and smiled shyly at Kairos. "Thanks. It makes me feel happy that you think of my son in that way," she told the blonde-haired man. "Well we better get going. We have to pass by for your father before we go back to our home," Miyuki explained to everyone. "Say your goodbyes to your uncle Kairos and auntie Blake." She loosened her hold on her son to let the boy twist around and wave goodbye to her adoptive aunt and uncle.

"Bye-bye auntie Blake! Bye-bye uncle Kairos!" Ryu bade them farewell as he and his mother hopped back into their car and drove off down the busy road.

Kairos and Blake stood side by side in silence as they continued to watch the street. "Did you pay our bill?" she finally asked, still a bit annoyed with her guardian with his suggestion of Blake applying for university.

The Lionheart operative nodded his head tersely. "I slipped the payment to one of the waitresses as we walked out with Ryu." More silence. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said. It was tactless since I should have known how sensitive a topic it is after what happened to you."

Blake's gray eyes softened at her guardian's apology. "It's alright," she said in a gruff voice. "I know that you were doing it for my benefit. Seriously though Kairos, I don't think it's necessary that I go to university."

"Why is that?"

"Who's going to help you do all your paperwork in the office?"

Kairos flinched. "Ouch. You're right. I'd be buried under tons and tons of paperwork if I didn't have you around."

"You'll be buried in your paperwork if we don't get back and whittle it down to a manageable stack," Blake pointed out, grabbing hold of Kairos' arm and towing him down the sidewalk back to their office. "Come on! If we don't speed up we won't be able to make Jez's party at our place and we still need to buy the two cases of beer that she asked us to get!"

* * *

It was nearing ten in the evening when two figures trudged up the front steps of their apartment, each carrying a large and heavy case of beer. The guardian and his charge could faintly hear the sound of dance music playing from high above in their penthouse. It made both of them smirk at each other knowing that Jez and her friends must have been causing quite a ruckus to the other apartment residents. Several people called out her name as Blake and her guardian finally entered their unusually crowded apartment. Jez had converted their living space into a party area for her pre-fashion debut to accommodate the wide array of guests that she invited.

Blake politely smiled and nodded to the vaguely familiar faces that came towards her. She fixed her grip on the large case of beer that she and Kairos had bought earlier that evening and regarded the guests with her eyes. "Could we save the pleasantries for later?" she asked drily. "I've been lugging this around for a while now and my muscles are starting to burn."

Jez came through the crowd to peck the cheeks of her laden older brother and of his charge. "Thanks for coming! I know the both of you have a lot of work to do." The red-streaked blonde shook her head at the coming apology. "I know that you arrived late but at least you're both here to celebrate with me." Her eyes widened upon seeing a slight tremble in the tall raven-haired woman's arms. "What am I doing? Go on and drop your booze at the makeshift bar before your arms give out!"

Blake grinned and silently thanked the designer before following Kairos to the bar. There were around thirty people in their apartment. There were a handful who Blake knew from the previous parties of Jez. She also recognized a couple as part of the popular, famous and filthy-rich clique. Kairos and her walked through the crowd armed with "excuse me's" and "pardon me's" as Blake continued to observe her surroundings. Dance music blared loudly in their sound system but nobody was dancing instead they all stood around, mingled and drank a variety of beverages in their held glasses. She was looking across the common room like an attentive sniper when she almost lost her grip on the case she was holding. Her heart thudded almost painfully in her chest. "It can't be," she said in a strangled whisper.

Kairos straightened from stooping to place his heavy case on the floor. "What was that Blake?" he turned and saw the astonished look on his charge's face. "Blake? Are you all right? You've gone pale of all a sudden." The raven-haired woman's face had turned into a ghostly white and her knuckles turned color from gripping the case too hard. Kairos frowned and scanned the room for whatever it was that upset his friend, thinking that he was going to give the unlucky person a piece of his mind. "You..." Kairos blurted when his eyes finally rested on the cause of Blake's sudden change. "Give me that," he ordered, grabbing the case of beer from Blake's hands. "Get going!" he urged with a push on the back. "You have unfinished business to take care of." There was a tight smile on his face as he watched Blake push through the crowd towards their unused study.

"Kairos where's Blake? I want to introduce her to my new model." Jez pulled at her brother's sleeve. "I have to find her first though. She has been getting a lot of attention. So where is our personal emo?"

Kairos pointed at the study door just in time for Jez to see two women go through. He could have been amused at the bulging eyes of his dear sister, but he wasn't after seeing how Blake had reacted to the situation.

Jez raised a hand to her lips. "They know each other?" she asked in confusion. "But how?"

Kairos let out a tired sigh as he palmed a bottle of beer and twisted its cap off. "She's that one."

"You mean..."

"It's her alright. She's that very girl who thrust Blake's heart into the heavens and then into the darkness." Kairos took a swig from his drink. "Leave them be. The two of them have a lot of things to straighten out after five years."

* * *

Blake could not get a grip on her fluctuating feelings as she shut the study door behind her. The small and dark room was lit by an old table lamp, bathing the room in a low dark yellow light. Despite the insufficient lighting, Blake could see the other woman very clearly; from her alabaster skin, her pale glittering amber orbs and wave after wave of platinum hair. Blake could have said that her long lost friend had jumped out from one of her old photographs. "Shizuma..." she let out in a soft voice. Try as she might, nothing else would come out from her lips. Her throat clenched tightly as long tried-to-be forgotten memories began to besiege her mind.

It did not help her at all that Shizuma was looking at her with such a forlorn expression on her face. Blake missed her terribly but things seemed so different now. She could tell just by the way Shizuma looked at her. _Just say something you idiot! _Blake screamed silently at herself while glancing at her feet. She looked up ready to say something but as soon as her storm gray eyes locked with those sad amber orbs, her throat tightened. Frustrated, Blake stepped back and leaned dejectedly against the hard wood of the study door. With her head bowed down and her eyes closed, she finally found her voice. "Here you are standing in front of me and I can't even find it in myself to tell you how much I've wanted to see you again."

Smooth hands slid onto the raven-haired woman's cheeks, urging her to look up. Blake timidly gazed into those amber orbs, once again at a loss for words.

"I've missed those storm gray eyes of yours," Shizuma murmured softly. "It really feels different between us, does it not?"

Blake shrugged. "It has been five years after all." She could only muster a weak smile for her past lover. "Where have you been after all these years?"

Shizuma shook her head, dropped her hands from Blake's face and crossed her arms across her chest. "I think I am the one who's supposed to ask questions here." There was a hard look in her eyes when she stated her belief.

Blake let out a sigh of defeat. "You're right so let's hear your questions."

"Why did you leave?" Shizuma asked, her voice quivering from trying to mask her pain. "You just disappeared without a word and no one knew where you went off to." In a much softer voice, she added, "You left me to be all alone again."

"I didn't leave you!" Blake cried out, shocked in spite of herself. "I didn't leave you by choice," she told the other woman. "I never once thought of leaving you not for all the places that I was able to go to and the safety of my own life! It's just that circumstances prevented me from exercising my right to make my own choices."

"Circumstances like what?"

Blake walked over to the lone desk in the room. "Circumstances like the Lionheart organization and Kairos," she answered. "I was poisoned remember? When we got back to Astraea hill, Kairos had the doctor inject more of the counter drug in my system." Her eyes blazed with her old anger for her guardian. "It was actually a drug that induced longer periods of sleep," she explained. "Kairos took me away and flew me off to Switzerland while I was still knocked out." There was a sad sincerity in her eyes. "I tried to go back to Japan but Kairos had the organization keep a tight hold on me," she continued. "That is until I lost my temper two years later."

Shizuma raised an eyebrow at her. "Lost your temper?" she questioned, watching as pale moonlight bathed the other woman's skin. "And I suppose Kairos took the brunt of it?"

Blake scowled and kicked at the floor. "You should understand that he was the one who took me away against my will... Away from you," she reminded. "I went back to Japan after beating him up but I could not get anything useful that would lead me to you. You and all our other friends had disappeared. I did try to search for you," Blake told the girl in a weary voice. The pain of the past was already taking its toll on the woman. "I waited for five years in the hopes of finding you." she sighed. "Like everyone expected, I even gave up at one point." When she looked directly into Shizuma's eyes, she knew that she had dropped her mask of calm and revealed the deep pain burdening her from all those years. "But here you are now like a dream from the past." She shook her head. "I really do not know what to think about this. I'm not even sure if I still..."

"What can we expect?" Shizuma said in an equally weary voice filled with pain. "Even I feel unsure about this," she admitted. "What should we do? There's still something in me that's saying that I won't be able to bear losing you again."

Blake gazed silently at her former lover. "Cool off? Start things over again? We're still young and we should take time to rekindle our," she began.

"Friendship?" Shizuma finished.

Blake nodded her head and smiled. "All relationships start off as friendships," she quoted. "Just like how we were all those years ago," she added while running her fingers through her hair. "So?"

"It's the best option right now," Shizuma observed as she let out a sigh half filled with relief and defeat. "Well we should go to the party. My employer probably wants me to socialize and not hide in a dark room like this."

"You're _her_ new model?" Blake asked clearly surprised.

Shizuma tilted her head to the side and looked quizzically at the other woman. "You know Jez Leix?"

Blake released an amused chuckle. "Aside from living together in this apartment and f you disregard her surname, Jez is Kairos' younger sister," she replied. "Weren't you surprised to see both me and Kairos?" Blake raised both her eyebrows at the platinum-haired woman who shook her head no to her query.

"I figured you'd be with Kairos anyway. As for appearing in this party," she shrugged. "I thought you were friends with Jez and not how you just explained it."

Blake was about to laugh when they heard someone knocking at the door.

"Sorry," Kairos' voice called from the other side of the door. "I know the two of you have many things to talk about but Jez wants to formally introduce Shizuma. Ash is also here and wishes to see the both of you."

"We'll be out shortly Kairos," Blake told her guardian and waited as he walked away. "Well, we should go out," she told Shizuma. "Perhaps it would be for the best if we went in different directions as soon as we step out of this door. We'd attract a lot of attention especially since people witnessed two women enter an empty room on their own."

The former Etoile turned model nodded her head. She walked over to the door, laid her hand on the doorknob and said, "Shall we then?" once Blake stood behind her, Shizuma twisted the knob and pushed the door open. As casually and smoothly as they could have done it, both women separated as they stepped through the door. Shizuma headed for Jez who stood arm in arm with a pretty redhead while Blake made a beeline for the bar.

Kairos walked up to his charge as she managed to twist the cap of her chosen beer bottle. He chose to remain silent as Blake downed the beer in one go. He would rather let his charge share to him rather than he pry it out of her.

"Things are different," Blake told the blonde-haired man, half-guessing what was on his mind. "We did talk. I ended up explaining what happened to me but I couldn't get her to tell me where she went off to in the five years that have passed," Blake continued, grabbing two bottles of beer and handed one to Kairos.

"How are things between the two of you?"

Blake shook her head and gave Kairos a lop-sided grin. "I _told_ you things are different. We are both unsure of what we are feeling so we talked it over and decided to cool off for a while. We're still friends of course," she assured the older man when he looked worriedly at her. "We're just taking it slow. She and I aren't sure if things will be the same between us anyway."

"I'm sorry Blake," Kairos told his young friend. "If I hadn't done that, the two of you wouldn't be like this." Kairos gulped down his beer while watching Jez introduce Ash to Shizuma on the other side of the crowded room. He watched his charge shake her head and give him a rueful smile before she walked off towards their balcony. He looked on as Blake slid open the glass sliding door and lean against the railing to look up at the night sky.

"I would have thought that the two of them would be inseparable from each other after having their reunion," Jez said, standing beside her brother. "They were lovers right? Why are they distancing themselves from each other?" Jez alternated looking at Blake and Shizuma who was making small talk with Ash and some of her other friends.

The older Blackthorn sibling sighed. "Time can change anything," he told his sister. "It can even change the love between two people." Kairos eyed his younger sister. "Look, I don't want you to mess around with them," he warned. "Rushing things along does not always yield the results that you expect especially if it involves rekindling a past love." He walked away to another part of the room before Jez could give her reply.

"Rushing things is risky, but who says I'm going to use that tactic?" Jez murmured to herself. She let out a huge grin and began to scheme as she entertained her guests.

It was past two in the morning when the partygoers began to bid their hosts goodnight. They all wished Jez a successful photo shoot and thanked Kairos and Blake for accommodating them. All the guests had gone except for Ash and Shizuma. Ash was going to stay the night at their apartment while Shizuma was still receiving a few more last minute pointers from Jez and her girlfriend to get ready for the shoot. Blake and Kairos were finishing the clean-up job of their apartment when Jez cleared her throat.

"Blake could you help carry Shizuma's outfits for the shoot? She's just going to take a cab back to her place." Without even waiting for Blake's reply, she dumped a load of plastic covered clothes in the raven-haired woman's arms. "I'll stay here and help Kairos clean the rest of this mess up." She ushered Blake and Shizuma out the door and led them to the elevator. "Make sure you wait Shizuma until a cab comes! You know that the streets of New York could be dangerous at this time of the night!" she ordered Blake as the elevator doors closed.

"She's up to something," Blake muttered as the elevator descended. "I just can't put my finger on it, but when I find out that it's something I don't like she'll be in deep trouble."

Shizuma turned her head to look at Blake. "Perhaps she is just worried about my well-being. After all, it would be a disaster if something happened to her model when the photo shoot is in a few hours," she speculated. She reached over and grabbed a few of the clothes from Blake's arms. "Here let me help you out with these."

The taller woman nodded her head and allowed Shizuma to take her pick of the clothes she carried for her. She and the platinum-haired woman strode out of the elevator and out to the street. "I'll flag down a cab really quick," she told her companion. She managed to wind her hand up to her mouth without dropping any of the clothes, put two fingers in her mouth and let out an air-piercing whistle. Sure enough, a cab whose windows were rolled down pulled up on the curb. With the back door open, Blake arranged her burden on one side of the backseat and took the clothes from Shizuma to put it with the rest of the clothes. "Well everything is alright," she said, straightening and stepping aside to let Shizuma board the cab.

"Thank you Blake." Shizuma stepped closer to the older woman and lightly pecked her on the cheek. It was a simple way of thanking Blake and she knew that it didn't not mean anything else as of the moment.

There was a small smile on Blake's face as she bid her old friend goodnight. "I'll see you around Shizuma. Good luck with your photo shoot with Jez!"

"Thanks again." The door slammed shut and the cab drove off into the darkness leaving Blake staring after them. It was only when the cab turned on another street did Blake walk back inside their apartment not noticing a red-streaked blonde watching from above with a frown on her face.

* * *

**_I know, I know. It's been over a month since i updated. I thought that i'd be able to update at least once every 2 weeks since i have 3-day weekends every week. My university just implemented this 4-day class week so we don't have classes on fridays but we have longer class hours to make up for the free day. unfortunately, i end up doing a lot of work on those 3-day weekends and i'm usually left with little or no time to type down even just a few paragraphs. It doesn't help at all that this chapter is relatively short compared to the recent chapters that i've uploaded. it just shows how busy i've been for the past few weeks. for that, i ask all of you for your forgiveness. academics have to come first of course. i did find an ingenious way to continue writing without lugging my laptop to school all the time. thanks to my trusty nokia N76 cellphone, i was able to continue writing the story through the notes feature of my cellphone. it was quite shocking for me when i bluetoothed the note to my laptop because i wrote enough through "texting" to fill up three pages of MS word. hahaha! _**

_**anyway, as all of you have read. shizuma has finally reappeared in the story after how many chapters have gone by without her. i have a bunch of ideas for the latter part of this story and hopefully all of you would like it. **_

_**Alaeri: did i hint shizuma being jez's model that much? hehe... now that you mention it, i reread the last chapter and yes it was a bit unorganized which may have made it a slow read and somewhat confusing. i'll probably edit the whole thing sometime like when i reach the half way mark of this story. vittoria is young and i had meant for her to be the rich young woman who sees something like a owning a horse club as a small time hobby since she is filthy rich. i didn't want her to be stiff. about the boys from the horse club, well i didnt mean for them to bother you. they were more like a comedic relief especially with lorenzo trying to flirt with both Blake and Dom without any success. i'm still thinking of other ways to reintroduce the rest of Blake's circle of friends. the next one might come after a few more chapters. :)**_

_**DonnaUotani: yeah i did notice that Kaname was often portrayed as a political figure. i decided to make her a teacher particularly a teacher/coach for the athletics department. :)**_

_**vampknight364: thanks for your ever so faithful review once again! **_

_**Loorlover: glad you liked how i gradually reintroduced the old friends of Blake. about dom, i actually had no intention of making her seem like she kind of likes blake or amane, but it could be possible as another scenario. i will keep your query in mind.:)**_

_**EmbaLights: i'm seriously flattered. you had to curse just to express your satisfaction with the story so far! haha! blake's character has always been floating around in my mind in the past when i still struggled to come up with a story to fit her in to. i guess over the years (that i've been on a writer's block), i was able to develop blake into the amusing and intriguing character that she is now. i do agree that shizuma and blake are meant to be together! that's why i decided that nagisa shouldn't be in the picture. :)**_

_**next chapter: the photo shoot, improvisation, scheming matchmaker-designer, two tickets and a date **_


	18. Catching Up on Time Lost

_Chapter 18: __Catching Up__ on Time Lost_

The steady ringing of a digital alarm clock set on the bedside table roused Blake from her near four-hour slumber. The party had lasted into the early hours of morning, but Blake and Kairos slept at a later hour due to the latter's want for their apartment to be spotless. Even though the apartment was technically Jez's, Kairos' words were listened and followed. As a result, Blake ended up sleeping at around four in the morning, hoping to salvage the remaining hours of darkness before she had to go to work.

She wasn't feeling that fit that morning and if given a chance, she would have gladly stayed under her covers to sleep for another four hours. "It could have been like that in another person's case," she reminded herself in a mutter. She began to rub the sleep from her eyes then swung her legs to the side of her bed. "Kairos should be ready around this time," she groaned as she got to her feet. She made her way out of her room and headed for the kitchen. "Kairos?" she called out while grabbing some juice from the refrigerator. "I know you hate to be late for work, but could you give me ten minutes to eat breakfast and get ready?" Blake sat alone on the dining room table as she waited for her bread to pop out of the toaster. "Hey! Are you even listening to me?" she shouted and was about to shout some more when she noticed a folded piece of paper weighted down by an empty glass. Blake took the note and hastily read it while making her way to the toaster.

_Blake,_

_I completely forgot to tell you that I have an out-of-town assignment for today. I already called ahead and told the organization to give you a day-off rather than working alone in that dreary office of ours for the whole day. __I won't be back until tomorrow afternoon so make the best out of this short vacation. Jez left with me to get to the studio for her line'__s photo shoot so you'll be alone until late afternoon I suppose. Why don't you go visit Miyuki to pass the time or go play some basketball with your friends from the local park? _

_Kairos_

_P.S. It's a good thing you got distracted by Shizuma's presence last night at the party or you would have been having a nasty hangover right now. _

Blake scowled deeply at the note and crumpled it in her hand. She wasn't supposed to be annoyed, but she was because of two things. First, she could have stayed in bed, but she shouldn't even bother anymore because her body would stay awake as soon as she wakes up in the morning. Second, Kairos had off-handedly teased and insulted her. "It's no use to gripe about it. Well at least I'll get some solitude after such a long time." Finishing her glass of juice and toast, she headed back into her room to take a shower.

* * *

It was a strange sight to see the usually energetic and happy-go-lucky Jez Leix in this kind of demeanor. She was a bit on the cranky side and was unusually quiet despite her excitement for her line's first photo shoot that day. Even the photographer, his assistants , the make-up artist and the other assistants found it strange. Only Shizuma seemed to understand why the designer was displaying that kind of behavior. Not only was she tired from the previous night's party, all the stress and work she had put into her line of clothing had accumulated to transform her into a stiff and nervous person.

"Get her some tea," Shizuma ordered one of the assistants. "It will help calm her down." The platinum-haired woman was dressed simply in loose black spaghetti-strapped top and leg-hugging jogging pants so that it would be easy for her to get in and out of the clothes she was to wear and model for the camera. "She won't be able to work properly if this goes on," Shizuma whispered to the photographer in a low voice so that the designer wouldn't hear. She and the photographer had arrived at the studio at the same time to find the red-streaked blonde in her current state.

"Jez will snap out of it," the photographer predicted. "It's just the first time jitters and besides nothing can possibly go wrong after the weeks of planning that she did for this day alone."

"Gavin! We have bad news!" One of his assistants called out from the small office in the studio. "The male model who Jez hired for today can't make it!" Jez's face went dead white upon hearing the news. "His plane has been delayed for take-off because of some unforeseen equipment failure. He won't be in the vicinity until tonight."

Gavin walked over to the nerve-wracked designer and towed her to the leather couch. "Jez calm down!" He ordered the young woman with a firm voice. "Not having a male model doesn't necessarily mean it's the end of the world."

"It's the end of my clothing line though," Jez said through her clenched teeth. She felt someone sink into the couch on her other side and saw that it was Shizuma. "I can't just present the women's clothing of my line. I had intended for the shoot to showcase both the men's and women's apparel." The designer threw her head back against the top of the couch's backrest. "It works in pairs and this particular line that I created portrays how opposites could blend so well with each other. It won't work if it's just going to be Shizuma in the photos."

"How about trying to call other male models?" Shizuma suggested.

Gavin shook his head. "We could have gotten a better male model, but all the ones who Jez wanted were already taken or busy," he explained. "So we had to resort to this particular model but as you can see, he isn't going to show up."

"What am I going to do?" Jez wailed.

"Hey now! No crying!" Gavin commanded.

"Who the hell says that I'm crying?"

Shizuma gently touched Jez's wet cheeks with her fingers. "Just let it out," Shizuma gently advised the tearing designer. "Keeping all your frustration and anger inside isn't going to do you any good." To Gavin Shizuma asked, "Could we reschedule the shoot since the male model won't be coming?"

"Unfortunately we cannot," the man replied a little sadly. "Jez needs to give these photos to the fashion magazine by tomorrow night and they're known to be rather merciless when it comes to these kinds of problems." He and Shizuma tried to console the designer and was in was about to tell the staff to pack up and head home when one of the assistants signaled to Gavin and pointed towards the door. "May I help you?"

"Sorry I know I'm intruding, but I've got something to give to Jez."

Gavin could not help, but stare at the young woman who was walking towards them. The woman's tussled raven hair gave off the look that her hair was blown about by the wind. She was rather tall standing almost at five feet and ten inches and had an athlete's body; not very muscled like some female athletes, but just enough to have the well-defined cuts on her body. She was dressed casually in dark brown, knee-length shorts and a white sports jacket with a silver dragon that started from the wrist of one sleeve, across the upper back of the jacket and down the other sleeve. Her feet were neatly shod in silver and blue sneakers. What took the photographer aback the most was the pair of bottomless storm gray orbs the young woman possessed. _Is she one of Jez's model friends?_ He asked himself while noting the array of piercings on the woman's ears. "Whatever it is you need to give her, you could just leave it with one of the assistants," he informed the intruder. "Jez is not in her right mind as of the moment." Gavin gestured at the red-streaked blonde who was in the process of calming herself down.

The raven-haired woman frowned and came closer despite the explanation of the photographer. "Jez?" she stood before the designer. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

Jez looked up suddenly upon hearing the familiar voice of the woman who stood in front of her. "Blake?" she rubbed at her eyes, making sure that her tears weren't messing with her vision. "Why are you here?"

Blake looked worriedly at the young woman. "I got your message on the answering machine."

"What message?" Jez asked.

"You called home asking for Kairos to bring your contact lenses and your sketchbook to this studio," she explained, holding up the small container for the contact lenses and a large black covered sketchbook in two hands. "I would have thought that you knew about your older brother going out of town today," Blake said.

Jez let out a sigh and took the contact lenses and her sketchbook from Blake's hand. "Kairos did tell me, but I was so flustered and stressed a while back that I completely forgot about it when I called back home to have him bring these over," she explained then pointed to a paper bag in Blake's other hand. "What in that bag?"

Blake held out the paper bag to Jez and waited for the designer to take it from her hand. "It's near lunch time already and I bought you fries and a burger from Jack-in-a-Box. I know how much you love the food from that fast food restaurant and it was on the way." Blake nodded a greeting to Shizuma and repeated her question, "Why are you crying?"

"Because my fucking male model didn't show up and there's no way Shizuma could model these clothes on her own! I told the magazine owners that I'd give them a photo collection of two models modeling my clothes, but obviously I can't do-" Jez halted in mid sentence and stared at Blake with wide eyes.

"Jez? What's wrong?" Blake waved her hand in front of Jez's emerald-colored eyes. She was going to grab a nearby glass of water to splash the other woman out of her trance when the designer pounced on her. "Jez?!" Blake yelped in surprise as the red-streaked blonde grabbed hold of her arm and proceeded to drag her to another room.

"Help me get Blake into the male model's clothes! She could pass for the role if we do some slight adjustments!" she shouted excitedly at her assistants. "We just need to bind her chest so she'll look more like a man and do a few other things to make her look more credible!"

Blake planted her feet solidly on the floor and practically lifted the younger Blackthorn sibling off her feet. "Oh no! I just came here to bring your contact lenses, sketchbook and lunch!" she said in a shaky voice. "I'm not going to model any of your clothes! Let go of me!" Blake struggled against Jez and two of her assistants who came up behind her to grab either of her arms.

"Come on Blake! You owe me for letting you and Kairos stay at my place! It won't be that bad!" Jez told the still struggling woman as they made progress of hauling her towards the dressing room. "Look at it this way! At least you'll be wearing the easier of the clothes I made! It's Shizuma who's going to be wearing the girly stuff!"

The raven-haired woman unexpectedly grabbed hold of the dressing room's doorframe and clung on to it. "I don't care!" she shouted. "I'm not a model and I refuse to showcase myself in a magazine!" She let out another yelp as the assistants managed to pry her hands away from the doorframe.

Shizuma and Gavin watched in shock and amusement as the group entered the dressing room without bothering to close the door behind them. "I didn't think I'd believe the stories of Kairos that Jez was a born bully, but after seeing her manhandle that gray-eyed woman I can believe anything now," Gavin shared to the platinum-haired woman.

"Ahhh! You're perverted Jez! Don't touch them just like that! Keep your freaking hands to yourself! I can undress myself goddammit!"

Shizuma hid a smile behind her hand upon hearing her friend shout from inside the dressing room. "I've only known Jez for a short time, but I pretty much gathered that she was a pushy person," she told the photographer, amusement clearly heard in her voice. "I've known Blake longer and it really isn't easy to make her do something she absolutely refuses to do."

Taking the smugness in the platinum-haired woman's voice as his cue, Gavin asked, "I take it you were one of those people who were able to make Blake concede to doing something she didn't want to do?"

"If you mean tricking her into accepting a major role in an annual school play, then yes I am one of those rare people to have done so." Shizuma continued to smile as she listened in to the commotion happening in the other room.

"I must say though that it was brilliant stroke of genius for Jez to have thought of Blake to replace the male model," Gavin observed. "This Blake also has the build of a model, but is leaning towards the more slender builds the male models are known to have in the fashion industry. If you fix her up enough, she also has this androgynous look to her." He could not help but let out a grin. "I'm sure that she'll be getting a lot more attention from both the fellows and ladies once the fashion magazine releases the issue featuring Jez's line of clothing next month.

"Ow! Watch where you're sticking those pins! If you bind my chest that tightly I'm going to end up fainting in a few minutes!" Blake's loud and panicked voice echoed through the studio. "Jez! I'm warning you! I see where your hands are going and I don't like it one bit!"

Gavin chuckled and got to his feet. "Well," he started while walking towards the set. "It's definitely going to be an interesting afternoon."

* * *

The scowl on Blake's face never disappeared from the time she was dragged into the dressing room to be coerced into being an emergency model substitute for Jez's sake. She was beyond annoyed and the only thing that kept her from bolting out of the studio was Shizuma's pleading look while she motioned at Jez for an explanation. If she didn't do this, everything that Jez worked for ever since she entered fashion design school would go down the drain. Still, she couldn't help but feel like her dignity has been stripped away from her after the way Jez had manhandled her so ungraciously. At the moment, she was leaning against the stark white wall of the studio as Jez and the rest of her assistants focused on doing some last minute fix-ups on Shizuma.

"Are we ready?" Gavin called out from behind his camera. "I'm ready on this end and all we need to do is have Blake and Shizuma pose for us." He glanced at the scowling Blake and hid a smile by turning his head away. "I suppose you've already run her through what kind of poses you want Blake to do with Shizuma?" he directed the question to Jez.

"Oh, I haven't been able to do that yet but Blake's a fast learner so I don't think we'll run into any trouble if I run her through it as we take the shots." Jez and her assistants stepped away to reveal a splendid looking Shizuma dressed in a white, asymmetrical three-fourths sleeved dress that flared out in ragged edges a few inches above her knees. The dress covered one shoulder while the collar drooped down low enough to show a sufficient amount of bosom and bare her other shoulder. Bright colored beading livened up the stark whiteness of the dress while a long and flowing crimson sash was tied around her waist with the ends hanging down her side. She stood a few inches taller care of the pair of stiletto heels Jez provided for her although it was enough to be at the same height as Blake.

Shizuma met Blake's stare with a raised eyebrow and what seemed like a bemused smile before she walked over to their set. "So what do we do?" she asked Jez and Gavin, crossing one arm across her chest to grip her waist while her other hand held onto her bent elbow.

"First we have to lure Blake onto the set," Jez drawled, striding over to where Blake stood and hauling her onto the set. "Scowling by the wall won't make things go any faster Blakey," she reminded the substitute model. She took a step back to look the raven-haired woman over. "My! Do you look dashing!" she exclaimed.

Blake's scowl deepened as Jez and assistants "ooh'd" and "ahh'd" at her appearance. Jez was right about wearing the easier of set of clothing for her supposed male model. She would have dropped dead if Jez had wanted her to wear the clothes that Shizuma had on.

Jez grinned and straightened Blake's vest. "Actually part of my inspiration for creating the men's clothes for this particular line came from your style of wearing clothes."

The raven-haired woman blinked a few times at Jez before looking down at her clothes. It was very similar to her style of wearing clothes. She was clad in a dirty, rather wrinkled white shirt with the sleeves rolled up messily to her elbows with a black vest decorated with abstract dark silver designs over it. Blake also stood comfortably in jeans that were almost as black as her hair and in a pair of shiny doc marten boots.

"As you can see just by comparing the outfits of Shizuma and Blake, I really intended to show how opposite sides of fashion could harmonize together," Jez explained to the whole group. "In a simpler way, Shizuma represents your typical classy and hip girl while Blake, assuming she's a guy is your modern day rebel." She looked from Shizuma to Blake and gave them another wide grin. "I'm really glad that Blake came in because I could not have asked for a better partner for Shizuma in this photo shoot!"

"What do you mean?" Gavin questioned.

"Just look at them!" Jez exclaimed. "Without the clothes, they look and act like complete opposites! Shizuma is the graceful and well-mannered lady with flowing platinum locks and Blake is the stoic and indifferent errrmm, guy with the crow's wing black hair!" She skipped towards Gavin and did a quick pirouette. "It's the perfect match for this shoot!"

"All right already!" Blake cried out in annoyance. "Stop dancing about and let's get this over with please!" She walked forward, stood beside Shizuma and crossed her arms over her chest in a slight variation compared to the way Shizuma had her arms crossed. Before Blake could utter another complaint, she was blinded by the sudden flash of the camera. "What the hell was that for?" she demanded, blinking her eyes rapidly to regain her vision. "You didn't say anything about snapping any pictures!"

Gavin looked calmly at the pair of women before him. "Unknowingly, you and Shizuma struck a really good pose and I couldn't just let it go. Forgive me but that's my job as a photographer. I have to take the best shots of people to the point that they don't even know or expect the shot to be taken," he explained while tinkering with his lens. "Ok Jez, you start calling the shots from now on."

"This is going to be fun!" Jez exclaimed as she positioned Blake and Shizuma for the next few shots.

"Blake! How can I explain this to you in a way that you could understand?!"

"Would you kindly tone down your voice and take pity on me for a few minutes?" Blake muttered at the twittering designer who stood behind the camera. "You've had me going on like this for over an hour and I'm starting to get tired." She rubbed her eyes tiredly. "My eyes are also sore from all the flashes."

"It's only for a bit longer Blake! This is the last set of shots we're going to do for the day and I just need you to do this one properly!" Jez reasoned out with the raven-haired woman. "Now come on and just do what I told you to do!"

Blake let out a scowl and reluctantly walked Shizuma who stood at their new set against the stark white wall of the studio. "Easy for her to say," she growled under her breath, letting Shizuma hear it. "Making me do _this _has never been something so natural for me to do. She forgets that I'm not a trained model but just substitute."

"You're doing fine Blake," Shizuma assured her friend before stepping back to lean against the wall. "Just do it how Jez explained it and if you we do well enough, we could move on to the last pose and get out of here."

Blake sighed and hardened her nerves to ready herself for the next pose. She really wished that Jez could have foregone these rather intimate poses, but she could not convince the designer to change her mind. Ready, Blake stepped even closer to Shizuma, sliding her knee between Shizuma's legs and placing her hand against the wall a few inches away from the other woman's head. Her raised arm was bent at the elbow to give a better view of Shizuma's face that was turned away from Blake. Their chests were less than an inch away from each other as Blake gazed at Shizuma's face. The moment was suddenly broken when Jez let out a shout instead of the hearing the soft click of the camera's shutter.

"You're too freaking stiff Blake!" Jez shouted as she stormed onto the set and pulled Blake away from Shizuma. "How many times do I have to tell you? You have to look at her like you deeply desire her! Make your eyes do the caressing instead of your hands!"

Blake stumbled away from Shizuma after Jez let go of her arm. "I'm trying my best alright. It's just really awkward for me," she told Jez with a grumble and running her long and slender fingers through her hair.

"God! Do I have to be the one to personally show you how to do it?" Jez huffed out then marched over to Shizuma. To Blake's shock, Jez pushed Shizuma against the wall, slid her knee between Shizuma's legs, placed her hand against the wall by the model's face and leaned in almost too closely for comfort. Shizuma's face was just as surprised as Blake was as she stared into her employer's face that was a mere centimeters away. "_Ravage _her Blake!" Jez told the other woman without letting up the pose she demonstrated with Shizuma.

Blake continued to gawk at the sight before her and unknowingly turned red at the last suggestion given to her by Jez. "I-I can't-" she stuttered, taking a step back. "This is beyond awkward already!"

Jez looked like she was just about ready to give Blake a piece of mind when she felt someone lay a hand on her forearm. She looked questioningly at Shizuma who shook her head at her.

"Could you give us a minute to talk a bit before you try the shot again? I think I may be able to help Blake out with this," Shizuma asked the designer in a gentle voice. When the designer backed off and took her place by the side of the photographer, Shizuma motioned for Blake to come closer. "Why are you so nervous about this? We did a few things that were similar to this when we were still back at Astraea Hill," she whispered softly as to not let the others hear.

Blake rubbed her arm and shrugged. "It's just too awkward and besides that was back then. I can't force myself onto you like that!"

Shizuma sighed then in an unprecedented move, she leaned forward and cupped Blake's face with one hand. Blake's eyes widened as the other woman leaned even closer and put her lips by the raven-haired woman's ear. "_Whoever lady I woo will be your wife,"_ she whispered hotly. _"But I myself yearn to your lady._"

"Shizuma," Blake whispered in a hoarse voice as she felt her body being pulled forward to lean against Shizuma who was now against the wall. She almost thought that she was going to kiss her companion but snapped out of it when the camera's bright flash blinded her. Blake twisted away from Shizuma and thudded against the wall beside the platinum-haired woman. She slid down to sit on the floor with her legs stretched out before her. With her face buried in her hands, she growled, "That was unfair."

Shizuma chuckled. "Sorry, but then it the only thing I knew that would be a sure shot way to make you pose with me in that way."

"You're a wicked woman for playing with my past feelings."

Jez clapped her hands and grinned at her two models. "Ok! I don't know what you did to Blake but it worked perfectly! Now we only need the last shot!" Jez walked halfway into the set and called out her orders. "Ok Blake, just stay like that. I just need Shizuma to climb into your lap, wrap her arms around your neck and lean the side of her face against your shoulder. All you need to do is put your arms around Shizuma's waist." She watched as Shizuma eased herself into Blake's lap and with a murmured apology, wrapped her arms around Blake's neck. The raven-haired woman gently wound her arms around Shizuma's slim waist, unconsciously burying her nose into Shizuma's long platinum locks. Just like that, the photographer took the shot and began to congratulate everyone for a successful shoot.

After everyone had packed up and ready to leave the studio, Jez approached Blake and Shizuma who had changed back into their normal attires. "Here," she handed a pair of tickets to Blake. "It's an advance for the both of you modeling my line for me. I expect the two of you to use it." With a quick peck on Blake's cheek, Jez trotted out of the studio leaving the two women behind.

Blake looked at the pair of tickets in her hand and read the small text. "She just gave us tickets to Water Slide World dated to be used two days from now," she informed Shizuma who took the tickets from her to give them a closer look. "So what do we do? If you don't want to go, we can just give them away."

Shizuma shook her head. "That would be a waste and Jez did specify that we use them since it's a form of advance to us." She gave back the tickets to Blake and began to pull her long hair back to tie it up in a ponytail. "I'd like to go to the water park anyway. I haven't been to one since Miyuki and I were second grade students back on Astraea Hill." She flipped her hair back with a turn of her head and walked out of the studio with Blake by her side. "We could use the time to catch up on the five years we've been apart. I'm sure both of us want to hear the things each of us did in the last five years."

Blake let out a sigh and flagged down a cab for Shizuma. "I'll pick you up at seven in the morning this Monday?" She held the door open and let Shizuma rise to her toes to peck her on the cheek.

"That would be great," she told Blake with a smile. "Jez knows my address so you could just get it from her. I'll see you soon!" She pulled the cab door shut and gave Blake one last wave before the cab pulled away from the curb.

Blake stood on the sidewalk for a few seconds before letting out a low growl. "_Jez," _she growled menacingly. "Don't you think that I'm clueless enough to not know what you're scheming behind my back!" Blake began to chase after a screaming red-streaked blonde down the sidewalk as Gavin and the others laughed at the spectacle. "I'm going to make you suffer!"

* * *

Blake felt oddly comforted at hearing her guardian's voice on her cellphone. "Your sister is a scheming little bitch, Kairos," she informed her long-time friend. "I'm pretty sure she did that in the hopes of getting me and Shizuma back together again!" It was the following evening and she had picked up her ringing cellphone after coming out of the shower to find out that it Kairos.

_"What's wrong with that?__ I myself would like you and Shizuma to get back together like how you once were years ago.__" _

"She could have picked less subtle ways to implement her plan!" Blake pointed out. "The tickets were a dead give away! It's pretty much saying that she set me and Shizuma up for a date!"

_"Don't you want to have a date with Shizuma?" _

"Yes! I mean no!" she almost shouted into her cellphone. "Well… I do want to catch up with her, but I'm not really thinking ahead that we'll get back to how we were."

_"It won't hurt to go on a 'date' with her Blake. Just think of it as a fun outing.__"_

"I guess you're right. What could possibly happen in one day? How are things there at your side?" she asked her guardian, opening her room door and walking to the kitchen to eat the dinner Jez prepared for them.

_"Aside from having to listen to the complaints of this branch's officers__'__ day in and day out, everything is going well. __I'll be home tomorrow afternoon as scheduled. __By the way, you could use my X5 when you and Sh__izuma drive to that water park."_

"You seem really excited for my excursion," Blake drawled as she poured herself a glass of orange juice and nodded her thanks to Jez when she ferried her some salad and a slab of grilled steak on her plate. She could hear her guardian chuckling from the other line.

_"Jez may be the one doing all the strategizing and implementing them, but I'm the one who's been rooting from the start that you and Shizuma should rekindle your love for one another!" _

"Go back to work already Kairos!" Blake growled then hung up suddenly.

Jez gazed at Blake as she nibbled on her toast. "So what were you and Kairos talking about?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"Grumpy until now, aren't we?" She let out a laugh when she received the trademark scowl of Blake for her actions. "I just love it when you scowl like that!"

"Leave me alone," Blake muttered, downing her glass of juice and refilling it. "Don't you have work to do? I know you just came from delivering the photographs to the magazine headquarters. How did it go?"

The designer nodded her head and grabbed the carton of orange juice from Blake's hand. "We had an appointment with them at one pm sharp, but I was at Gavin's place first to oversee the development of the pictures before we actually made our way to their headquarters."

"So when is their next issue going to come out?"

"You mean if they approve the shots we took of you and Shizuma?" Jez clarified, getting to her feet and walking towards the sink to start washing the dishes. "It should be out in one to two weeks. I'll be sure to give you and Shizuma a copy so that you could remember that day!" she smirked at Blake in exchange for the other woman's scowl. "So do you have any plans tonight?"

Blake shrugged her shoulders and looked out the window. "I don't know really. I was thinking of just staying at home." Her cellphone began to vibrate on the tabletop. Mouthing an 'excuse me' to Jez, she put the device against her ear. "Blake speaking."

_"Good evening Blake. I hope I'm not intruding."_

"Oh Miyuki! Of course, you're not intruding! Is there something wrong?" Blake drummed her fingers against the table while she watched Jez begin to sketch on her sketchbook.

_"Actually there is something__ wrong. I'm at Ryu's playschool right now to watch the children's se__l__f-rendition of Sleeping Beauty," _there was a hint of worry in the young mother's voice. _"Jin and I promised to attend, but Jin was called out of town a few moments ago and now Ryu is too depressed to play his part.__"_

Blake got to her feet and made her way to their hall closet to grab her shoes. "I'm guessing you want me to come over and try to cheer him up?" She sat on a nearby chair, pulled on her shoes and motioned for Jez to come over. "I'll be there in ten minutes. Is it all right if I bring a friend? I don't think she'd appreciate it if I left her alone in the apartment."

_"Are you referring to Kairos' sister? Of course she could go!__ I'll tell the teachers to stall the play until you get__ here!" _Miyuki gave Blake her thanks then hung up.

"Would you like to come with me to watch a kids' play?" Blake asked Jez.

"Why would I want to watch something like that?"

Blake shrugged her shoulders and made her way to the front door. "Well I didn't want you to be alone and I was planning to introduce you to Shizuma's best friend and her son who has a role in the play," she explained. "But since you put it that way, I'll just take my leave now."

"Alright alright! I'm coming along!" Jez relented and donned her shoes. She and Blake took Kairos' X5 to get to the nearby playschool.

The raven-haired woman parked the car on the curb and hopped out of the SUV. "Come on Jez. I have to convince Ryu to play his part." She and the designer strode towards the playschool and entered the building. Several pairs of eyes rested on the two women while two teachers continued to talk on the makeshift stage. Blake was going to call out Miyuki's name when the young blue-haired mother came out from the crowd. "Miyuki," she greeted.

"Thanks for coming Blake!" Miyuki came closer and briefly hugged the taller woman. "Ryu is down this way." She led Blake and Jez to a smaller room and pointed out a familiar blue-haired boy in a white tunic, crimson pants and a play sword hanging on his belt sulking at the corner.

Without another word from Miyuki, Blake strode forward, grabbed the boy in her arms and lifted him high off the ground. The boy squealed in surprise as he struggled against his unknown captor. "Well, look at you! You sure are a little princeling!" she smiled at the boy in her arms. "Why are you sulking? It isn't becoming of a prince to sulk as you do."

Ryu's frown transformed into a grin upon realizing who his captor was. "Auntie Blake! I didn't know you were coming! Why are you here?"

"To watch you little guy," Blake told the young boy in her arms and carried him over towards Miyuki and Jez who smiled in amusement at her. "I even brought you a new friend and she's going to be watching you too!" Blake set the boy back down on the floor and handled the introductions. "Ryu this is Jez Leix." She watched as Jez squatted down and shook hands with the boy. "Jez this is Ryu. He's the son of Miyuki," she pointed at Miyuki. "Miyuki is Shizuma's best friend back when we were all on Astraea Hill."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Jez got back on her feet and offered her hand to Miyuki. "Blake hasn't said much about you, but you do look like the sort to be in Shizuma's circle of friends." Jez looked Miyuki from head to toe. "You actually are really beautiful despite being a mother. Rather breathtaking too if I must say! Ow!" Jez cried out when Blake hit her with an elbow.

"No flirting Jez! You have a girlfriend and the woman you're hitting on is married not to mention quite experienced in handling lesbians like you!" Blake went down on one knee and spoke to Ryu who observed everything that was transpiring around him eagerly. "So are you going to give me, Jez and your mommy a show?"

"I'm a prince!" Ryu exclaimed while puffing out his chest. "I can do anything!" He walked over to one of his teachers and pulled on the woman's skirt. "I'm ready now!" With that, Ryu and the teacher walked over to the stage to start the program.

"I'm going to take some pictures!" Jez said while holding up her digital camera. With a nod of permission from Blake, the designer scurried off towards the stage to get a good vantage point for snapping her pictures.

Miyuki led Blake towards one of the vacant seats in the room as the play began. "You're a lifesaver Blake," Miyuki thanked the raven-haired woman. "I did not think Ryu would react like that when he found out Jin wouldn't be able to go."

"He's a kid Miyuki. You know how kids are anyway. They are easy to pout and sulk if things don't go their way."

Miyuki looked into Blake's face. "Is there something wrong? You seem a bit troubled."

"Only that I'm going to go on a set date with your best friend tomorrow," Blake admitted, smoothing her tussled raven hair while Miyuki stared at her in surprise.

"Tell me."

As the play spanned on, Blake recounted the events that transpired in the few days that have passed. She started by explaining how Jez had been contracted to showcase her designs in a fashion magazine and how she had employed an unknown new model since her girlfriend couldn't take the role. Blake continued on about how she had her fateful reunion with Shizuma in Jez's pre-fashion debut party at their apartment and how both of them decided to take things slow. Then she retold yesterday's events of how she and Shizuma had been given tickets to a water park as an advance payment. "So you see, we're going to use the time to catch up with each other, but everyone sees this as a date between the two of us."

"Who cares what people say about the two of you?" Miyuki asked. "Shizuma is my best friend and you are one my closest friends Blake. I think I should be the one who should be catching up with Shizuma since I am her best friend, but I believe the two of you need this time together first."

"Even you wish to see me and Shizuma get back together," Blake accused the former Saint Miator president.

"_Everyone_ wants to see the day when you and Shizuma will be lovers again," Miyuki reminded. "Blake, I don't want to see Shizuma go through that kind of depression again. She may have been able to master herself in the five years that the two of you were apart, but deep down I'm sure that her heart is keening for you to accept her."

Blake let out a sigh and applauded with the rest of the audience when the play ended. "You make it sound simple, but it really isn't." She got to her feet and let out a loud whistle as Ryu walked to the front of the stage and bowed. "Why doesn't anybody realize that five years of being apart will definitely take a long time to bring back a love lost?" she leaned down slightly to whisper in Miyuki's ear.

"We never said we wanted the two of you to get back together just like that," Miyuki whispered back. "Come on, let's go pick up Ryu and treat him to some ice cream before we part ways." She dragged Blake up to the front and caught her son in an enthusiastic hug while Jez continued to take pictures of them. "You did great, sweetie."

Ryu turned to look at Blake and grinned. "Could you teach me how to whistle like that?"

"Ryu!" Miyuki scolded.

"But mommy being able to whistle like that would be so cool!"

"If your auntie Blake teaches you how to whistle like that then we're just going to head home instead of having some ice cream," Miyuki threatened, smirking when her son clamored in her arms.

"I was just fooling mommy! Can we go and have the ice cream then?" he asked, all thoughts of learning how to produce an ear-piercing whistle gone from his head.

Blake and Jez chuckled on either side of Miyuki. "Come on then little guy," Blake said. "We'll go have that ice cream together before you go on home with your mommy." The three adults and the boy walked out of the playschool and headed towards the nearest ice cream parlor.

* * *

_The next morning... _

* * *

Blake waited patiently outside of the SUV as she went through the list of things she did prior to going to Shizuma's abode. _Two sets of clothes… check… sun block and tanning lotion… check... swim suit and board shorts… check… toiletries… check… towel…check… and my wallet… check! I think I got everything. _She pushed herself away from the car when Shizuma walked out of the door of her apartment. "Morning," Blake greeted cheerfully and opened the cargo door of the SUV. "Let me help you with that," she took Shizuma's duffel bag and placed it inside the car.

"Did you wait long?" The platinum-haired woman asked as she checked her appearance on the X5's windows. For that morning, she wore mid-thigh length white shorts and green wifebeater shirt.

"Only for about five minutes, Shizuma." Blake shut the cargo door and got into the driver's seat. "Did you have breakfast already? We could stop by in one of those restaurants along the way if ever." Blake ignited the car engine and began to drive when Shizuma finished strapping herself in.

The platinum-haired woman shook her head and made herself comfortable in her seat. "I had breakfast a while ago so we don't need to make any stops along the way."

They remained silent for the next twenty minutes. It was plain for the eye to see that both women were still rather uncomfortable in each other's presence. Shizuma kept to herself mainly because of Blake's silence while Blake was unnerved by Shizuma. The gray-eyed woman finally broke the silence by asking, "So what were you doing in Austria?"

Shizuma turned to look at Blake to see if it was just an attempt to break the silence, but she immediately recognized the telltale look of seriousness in the other woman's eyes. "I pursued honing my piano playing skills there, toured quite a bit of the country and even settled down for a year in Vienna," she explained, showing her a CD that she brought for the trip and putting in the car's player. "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Vienna and that was the main reason why I decided to stay in that area. The museums had his original compositions and I was completely awestruck by the intricacy of the pieces he composed."

"He was considered a genius," Blake pointed out. "How could a four year old child be able to compose his own pieces? That's really astonishing!" She grinned at the surprised look that appeared on her passenger's face. "I read about him several year ago when I was still held captive by ShadowLabs. They provided me with a lot of books to read, hoping that my manipulated DNA code would start working its magic and make me a genius," she explained casually. "Funny thing is, they even tried to play Mozart's music in my room to try to hurry the process along."

"There have been studies about the Mozart effect and to some extent it actually works," Shizuma shared. "Although most of the researchers concluded that there wasn't sufficient evidence and that it was more likely to work on the developing minds of young children."

"Where did you go in the next four years?"

"Oh I travelled a lot," she replied. "Mostly with my father who insisted that I should become a worldly lady by means of travelling all over. He left the business to his subordinates just so that he and I could travel together."

Blake nodded her head. "So what countries did you go to?"

"I travelled to Rome specifically the Vatican City where I got to see the Pope from afar. I also went to watch the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain," she enumerated with a smile on her face. "That particular event was a rather nasty one with people being tossed about like ragdolls by the bulls. My father also arranged a safari in the African plains. I met the aborigines of Australia went to several other European countries then went island and beach hopping in the Philippines," she pointed at the shell bracelet on her wrist. "I lost count of all the beaches I went to in that country, but it sure was fun. After that, dad and I went back to Japan so that he could get back to his business then shortly after that I travelled to London and attended university there."

"So did you become the worldly lady your father wanted you to be?" Blake teased.

Shizuma chuckled. "Perhaps I am one at this moment if you refer to being worldly as someone who could brag to people that she's been to almost thirty countries in just five years." She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them. "I think the better term for it is cultured since I did spend a sufficient amount of time in each place I travelled to." She looked sidelong at Blake. "And what have you been doing these past years?"

"Hiding, fuming, escaping, fighting and working."

"Care to elaborate, Blake?" Shizuma drawled.

"I said hiding because the Lionheart Organization was protecting me from the remaining ShadowLabs members. The man who shot me during our summer trip escaped alive so the organization was concerned about my life," she recounted without a hint of bitterness in her voice. She was long finished that particular past. "I was fuming because I wasn't given any freedom for almost three years. The escaping came in when I tried to escape from the organization on several accounts one of them was in an attempt to find you. The fighting came in especially with Kairos and the superiors of the organization. I was a temperamental being in those days and I could not help but result to violence especially violence directed at Kairos. As for working, I basically have been working for the Lionheart organization ever since Kairos and I moved in with Jez here in New York." She exited the highway and followed the road signs, which directed them towards the water park. "Quite a boring five years on my part as compared to yours."

Shizuma smiled and patted Blake gently on her shoulder before looking out her window. "Oh it looks like we're here," she pointed at the enormous welcome sign that bore the name of the water park and the dozens of slides in the vicinity beyond it. "We definitely have to try all the slides today!"

Blake goggled at her companion. "Are you serious? There are dozens of slides in this park and how could we possibly try out every single one of them with all the other customers?"

"Silly," Shizuma teased the taller woman. "Look around you!" She gestured at the near empty parking lot. "We shouldn't be expecting a lot of people because it's a work and school day so we need not worry about competition." She grabbed her duffel bag and slung it on her shoulder. "Come on! Let's get going and change into our swimsuits!" She and Blake made their way to the entrance gates of the park and presented their tickets to the person-in-charge.

"Your tickets entitle you to a free lunch and a free snack in any of the concessionaires within the limits of the park," the park employee informed them and held out two bright plastic bracelets with a barcode etched on it. "Just show your bracelets to the concessionaire and they'll give you your free food. You can also get your towels at strategic locations around the park, but we ask that you drop them off at any of the drop-off locations you find on your way out." The employee gave them a last smile and ushered them inside. "Have a good day!"

"He was awfully perky," Blake mused as she and Shizuma walked to the nearest locker room to deposit their belongings and change into their swimsuits. She dropped her bag onto a bench and began to sift through it for her swimsuit, board shorts and dual sun block and tanning lotion. "It's my first time to actually go to a water park so I'm not so sure about what to expect from those slides," Blake admitted while stuffing her bag into a locker and shutting the door. "Hey Shizuma are you even listening to-" Blake's face quickly heated up and turned crimson as she saw her friend, who was facing away from her, strip out of all her clothes. "H-Hoy Shizuma!" Blake blurted out, forcing her eyes to look away from the woman's smooth alabaster skin. "You could use the cubicles you know! You don't just change in the common area of the locker room!"

"Oh calm down Blake!" Shizuma ordered as she shimmied into her two-piece swimsuit. "There isn't a soul in this locker room except for the two of us so there's nothing wrong with me stripping right here." She raised an eyebrow at the redness that remained on the raven-haired woman's face. "I see that you still turn red easily," she joked.

"Whatever," Blake let out in a huff and shut herself inside one of the vacant cubicles to change. "Did you bring sun block or tanning lotion, Shizuma?" she called out in a raised voice to be heard. "You could have some of mine if you didn't bring any. I just left it on the bench." Blake came out to find Shizuma using her tanning lotion on her body and also helped herself to a generous amount to apply on her own body. "Ready?" she asked the lithe woman. "Let's get going then."

Shizuma and Blake walked barefoot on the watered-down sidewalk until they spotted the first few slides. "Shall we do a beginner's round?" Shizuma pointed at a fifteen-foot long slide that slanted easily into a shallow pool of water. "Come on!" she pulled Blake up the stairs that led to the top of the slide. "I'll go first then you go!" She sat at the top of the slide and quickly propelled herself down the half pipe with a whoop.

"Huzzah!" Blake muttered, watching her eager friend make a splash at the bottom of the slide. "My turn then," Blake sat precariously at the top of the slide, took a breath and slid down its length without a sound. Unlike Shizuma's landing in the pool, Blake easily slipped into the water and made gentle wavelets on the surface.

"You're no fun!" Shizuma pouted at Blake and splashed her with water.

"It wasn't that thrilling so you can't blame me," Blake retorted and splashed the other woman back more violently. "Come on! Can we skip the kiddy slides and head for the real ones?" she swam to the pool's edge and pulled herself up. "I can assure you that I'll be more fun if we get to try the bigger slides." Blake easily pulled Shizuma out of the pool when the amber-eyed woman reached up to her. She pointed out a twisting slide further off from where they stood. "That one looks interesting!" she remarked. "Look at that. Slides usually go down and down, but that one actually inclines upward!"

"They use water jets to propel the person up the inclined part of the slide," Shizuma informed her friend. "Looks like it's a two-person slide. Let's grab a tube and get up there." With a two-person tube in their hands, Blake and Shizuma trudged up some more stairs until they reached the top of the slide. "I'll be in the front and you stay in the back," Shizuma suggested. Both women took their positions and with a little help from a park attendant, they began their trip down the slide.

This time Blake let out a whoop of excitement as jets of water propelled the pair faster down the slide and up the single incline. "That was great!" Blake gushed as she paddled their watercraft towards the edge of the pool. "Let's find the next slide!"

For the next few hours, Blake and Shizuma made roughly three rounds of the whole park and rode each slide they could find once or twice. By lunchtime, the park was slowly starting to fill up with people so the young women took off to find a food concessionaire and eat lunch. "By the way Shizuma," Blake started after she and Shizuma sat on nearby lounge chairs after finishing their lunch. "I was wondering how you met Jez."

"Oh I am acquainted to one of Jez's friends," the platinum-haired woman replied. "While I was travelling around in the Philippines, I got to know this designer from one of our beach-hopping tours. We became friends and we kept in touch with each other." Shizuma lay back on the lounge chair and closed her eyes as she continued to explain. "When I moved to New York, I told my friend about it and she offered to bring me around. Eventually she told me about Jez's predicament of not having a model and she recommended me for the job."

"So that's how you met her. Did Jez try to hit on you?" Blake asked.

"Now that you mention it," Shizuma started. "She did flirt we me quite a bit when I met her the first time."

"You flirted back of course," Blake said drily.

Shizuma turned her head to look at Blake from her supine position and smiled knowingly at her. "I never leave out an opportunity that's presented right in front of me."

"You're still the same as ever," Blake pointed out with sarcasm in her voice.

Shizuma shrugged and relaxed. "I will take that as a compliment."

After an hour's rest, Blake and Shizuma began to make their rounds once more this time stopping at the wave pool. Shizuma wasn't too excited about swimming too far out to meet the giant wave generated by the wave machine. She instead accompanied Blake halfway and watched Blake swim towards the point in the pool where the passing wave would be at its tallest. Shizuma watched in awe as the raven-haired woman positioned her body and began to swim in the direction of the oncoming wave just as a surfer would paddle on his surfboard to catch and ride the wave. For a few glorious seconds, Blake seemingly was carried by the wave before being pulled over it.

"Had fun?" Shizuma asked when Blake swam back to her.

"Just like surfing except it's your body that's the surfboard," Blake replied and began to swim back to shore. It was around four in the afternoon when Blake spotted the tallest slide of the water park. It stood at a hundred feet and its angle was almost vertical as it plummeted down to the earth. Blake was sure that she was going to go on that one, but of course, she would make her companion do it to. "Oh Shizuma," she called out in a sing-song voice. "Let's go on that one next!"

Shizuma looked in the direction where Blake was pointing and visibly paled at the sight. "I think I'll pass," she told Blake.

"But you said we'd try all the slides! I held you to your word!" Blake exclaimed and began to pull Shizuma towards the entry point of the tallest slide in the park. "Come on! It shouldn't be so bad!" It took Blake around ten minutes to finally get Shizuma at the top of the slide. She was listening to the slide attendant explain the proper positioning of her arms and legs when she spotted Shizuma inching away towards the stairs. "Oh no you don't!" Blake grabbed Shizuma. "You're going to do this with me!" she grinned wickedly at her friend.

"Oh sure!" Shizuma replied. "Why don't you go first?"

Blake laughed loudly and saw the attendant cover a smile on his face. "If I go first, you certainly won't follow after me," she informed. "So you're going to go first." She made Shizuma sit on the top of the slide and helped her position her arms and legs. "Off you go then!" she pushed Shizuma down the one hundred foot slide. She and the attendant could not help but laugh as they listened to the platinum-haired woman's deafening scream paired with a stream of curses as she zoomed down the steep slide. Once Shizuma got off, Blake immediately got into position and with a whoop rocketed down the slide's length.

Blake continued to grin at Shizuma as she got to her feet despite the other woman's deep scowl. "Now that wasn't so bad!" She flinched when Shizuma hit her arm with her fist. "Oh don't be violent with me now. I'll treat you to some ice cream as an apology for pushing you down that slide." After eating their ice cream, both women decided to float around on inflatable rafts in the largest pool of the park. Blake was about to ask Shizuma if she wanted another go at the tallest slide when she noticed the once cloudless sky filled with dark thunderheads. "Shizuma," she called out and dove back into the pool. "We should get going. It looks like there's going to be rain and lightning." As she and Shizuma made for the shore, a voice blared on the sound systems ordering the customers to vacate the pools due to an oncoming storm.

"Let's head to the shower room, get changed and head home," Shizuma suggested. "I don't like the looks of the weather." There was a worried look on her face as she and Blake trotted off towards the locker room. It took them ten minutes to shower and get dressed. As they pulled out of the parking lot, the lighting and rain began.

"Switch on the radio for me please?" Blake asked as she squinted down the road through the heavy downpour. "Damn!" Blake cursed as she slowed the vehicle down. "The storm is upon us and we'll never make it home in this kind of weather. It would be better if we find a nearby motel and spend the night there."

"I agree with you. I'd hate to think what could happen to us if we continued to drive on in this storm." Shizuma took out a map of New York and helped Blake locate the nearest motel.

Finally locating the medium-sized hotel, Blake parked the car at the slot nearest the entrance and reached for their things. "I didn't think to bring an umbrella so we'll have to make a run for it," she told Shizuma. "I'll carry our things. As soon as you get out, run for the entrance!" Blake checked if their bags were closed tightly before signaling for them to make a run for it. "Go! Go! Go!" She and Shizuma got out of the car and sprinted towards the entrance. Despite their efforts, both women were soaking wet as they booked a two-bed room.

"Why don't you take a shower first?" Blake suggested, grabbing an extra towel that was set on her bed and began to dry herself off. "You look frozen. Go on ahead," she pushed the woman into the bathroom. "I'll manage until you finish your business." It took Shizuma less than ten minutes to finish her hot shower and dress up in her spare clothes. Once Blake finished her shower, the two women headed down to the dining area of the motel and ordered a simple dinner. It was apparent on each of their faces that they were weary from that day's excursion. Blake and Shizuma wanted nothing else but a good night's sleep.

Without any prolonged conversations, the pair took to their own beds and went to sleep amidst the noisy pattering of the rain. Blake shot up from her bed as a series of deafening thunder blasts sounded outside a few hours later. Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead as she tried to go back to sleep, but found that she could not as the flashes of lightning and the booms of thunder never ceased. Worse, the electricity had gone out and now Blake had no source of light. She squinted through the darkness and concluded that Shizuma was sound asleep when another flash of lightning briefly illuminated the room to show Shizuma sitting up and hiding her head against her raised knees.

Blake contemplated about staying in her bed and thought that Shizuma would be all right, but she saw the woman flinch as thunder continued to boom tremendously outside. Blake watched the platinum-haired woman tremble slightly as she hugged her knees closer to her chest. She couldn't leave Shizuma in that state.

"Blake?" Shizuma whispered as she felt a warm body press against her, arms encircling her and pulling her against a solid chest. Shizuma stiffened when Blake lifted her up and placed settled her between the raven-haired woman's legs, but she slowly relaxed upon finding the warmth of Blake's body comforting.

"We can be scared together," Blake muttered, tightening her hold on Shizuma as the thunderous skies continued to explode. "I won't let you go through this alone."

Shizuma ever so slowly began to drift off to sleep and did not hear a half-asleep Blake whisper, "_I'm never going to leave you alone." _

* * *

_**another update! hehe! well i decided to post another chapter as soon as i could in exhange for taking forever to post the previous chapter. midterms are coming up so i'm not so sure when i'll be able to put up the next chapter. i'll try my best to have one by this weekend though.**_

_**Alaeri: Ryu is actually patterned after my adorable godson. :) i'm not really good with kids but i really love my godson for who he is! you actually forgot that you were reading a strawberry panic fic? haha! nice! i'll take that as a compliment. Kairos and Blake are really meant to be comical whenever they argue with each other and i do try my best to make it amusing. Blake and Shizuma are sort of getting close towards the end of this chapter but they don't really do much. the more intimate stuff are coming soon though.**_

_**vampknight364: Jez is the main conspirator but there will be others who will join her cause:)**_

_**next chapter: babysitting, an accident, moving in and an embrace. **_


	19. Unexpected

_Chapter 19: Unexpected_

Blake rubbed her eyes not because she could not believe what she was seeing, but because she was tired. It was the nth time today that a random person approached her and asked if she was the model from the latest issue of the Fashion Icon magazine. The first few people who had approached her merely asked her if she was indeed the model and just offered a compliment. The most recent approaches were a tad more annoying. Aside from the question of her identity and the compliment, they also begged for an autograph while others brought out their cellphone or camera to take a photo. "I should have stayed in the office today," Blake muttered as she leaned back against a solitary bench in the neighborhood park. "Why did I have to let Jez force me into modeling for her?"

"Don't you like the popularity?"

Blake turned her head to face her next fan and readied her trademark scowl. The scowl only got to forming halfway when she realized that the person before her wasn't one of her new rabid fans. "I never liked the fame," Blake reminded, holding out her hand in a handshake. "Pleasure to meet you again Jin," she shook hands with the half-Italian man and grinned at his son who sat atop his shoulders. "Miyuki isn't with you?"

Jin motioned with his eyes towards another part of the park. "She's buying us ice cream because Ryu here has been begging nonstop," he replied before hoisting his son off his shoulders and gently setting him down on the ground. "He was never this addicted to ice cream until now." Jin looked accusingly at Blake and grinned. "I wonder whose fault it is?"

The grin given to Blake was contagious for she let out a grin of her own. "Sorry about that. I've always thought that ice cream was the quickest way to make kids happy," she told the young husband. "Oh here's Miyuki," she announced, slightly waving to her friend. "I suppose you want my autograph," she cut Miyuki off before she could say anything. "You were never the type to tease people back then, but I guess spending time with Shizuma has given you that particular skill. You just never used it because you were such a stiff person back in high school."

"That was a mouthful," Miyuki said, frowning at the tall raven-haired woman. "I was actually going to ask if you saw the magazine already." She brought out a glossy magazine and handed it to Blake. "It starts on page 17 I think," she told Blake as she handed a cup of ice cream to her son. "Rather provocative poses with Shizuma, don't you think?" Miyuki smirked at how quickly her friend turned red. "I didn't think you'd get that close that easily."

"It didn't mean anything," Blake retorted. "I'm not a model by profession, but whatever I did with Shizuma on that set was modeling work and nothing else." She handed a napkin to Jin and pointed at Ryu's messy face. "By the way, you wouldn't have gone looking for me if you didn't have something important to tell me. I'm guessing you got Kairos to tell you where I usually hang out during my breaks."

"Actually," Miyuki replied, glancing at her son who quietly submitted to the cleaning of his father. "It was Ryu who told us that you would probably be here at the park. We did call Kairos just to confirm that you were here and not at work."

Blake shifted her body into a more comfortable position on the bench and scanned through the pages with her and Shizuma in it. "Designer Jez Leix is a brilliant woman and a talent the fashion world has missed," she read the text that described Jez Leix and her work. "Not only does she make stunning and unique clothes, she also has astonishing connections to unknown but to almost inhumanly beautiful models." Blake made a face as she flipped the page to read the rest of the text. "Leix's line of clothing points out how complete opposites can harmonize together and she successfully proved this through her creations and models. Shizuma Hanazono is a stunning Japanese woman while Blake Saberhart is a mysterious entity who will most probably have a developing fan base because of her rather charming nonchalance." The raven-haired woman scowled deeply at the magazine in her hands and dropped it on the bench. "Just what I need the most! Publicity and popularity! Why did Jez have to give my name?" she asked woefully.

Miyuki and Jin chuckled out of amusement for their friend. "Aren't you taking this too seriously?" she asked. "It's only a one-time thing for you and I'm sure your so-called publicity and popularity will die down in time." Miyuki glanced at her husband and gestured for him to come closer. "Blake we actually have a favor to ask you," she told the storm-gray eyed woman before her.

Blake blinked at the couple before her and looked suspiciously at them. "This is quite strange. Even back on Astraea Hill, you never really asked me for favors," Blake pointed out. "It was more like coercion when I think about it," she continued with a smirk. "What's the favor?"

"Jin and I are going to travel to Italy. His family has asked for us to attend to them because his grandfather is gravely ill." Miyuki comfortingly rubbed her husband's upon mentioning his grandfather. "You know how these kinds of things will result to anyway. Wills, inheritances and the like among them."

Blake nodded her head in understanding. "What's the favor then?" she repeated herself.

Jin cleared his throat. "We were wondering if it would be possible for you to take care of Ryu for us while we are away." He shook his head at the shocked look on Blake's face. "I know it's quite sudden, but we know no one else who could take our son in for a few days. We were supposed to fix Ryu's travelling documents in a few months, but since my grandfather has gotten ill we have no choice but to leave for Italy without our son."

"Ryu likes you and he even likes Jez and Kairos," Miyuki added. "If he were to stay in your household, Jin and I would not need to worry. We'll pay you for the extra expenses like the food he eats and the like."

Blake raised a hand and stopped Miyuki from continuing. "Miyuki you know I would never let you pay for something like this," she said with a frown. "You're my friend! In fact, you were one of those few people who made me feel welcome and comfortable back in Saint Miator. I owe you for that so I'll be glad to take care of Ryu while you are in Italy."

"You don't know how much this means to us Blake!" Jin bowed his head in thanks. "A great weight has been lifted from within me and Miyuki knowing that you are the one who will be caring for our son."

Blake shook her head and smiled at the grateful couple before her. "Don't do that. I already said that accepting this is payment for your friendship," she scolded both husband and wife. "So when will Ryu be coming to our place?"

Miyuki glanced at her husband and looked ashamed. "Actually Blake, we're leaving tonight. We were having a lot of difficulty regarding to whom we should leave Ryu to and we only thought about you today. Is it alright?" she asked worriedly, thinking that the suddenness of their departure would make Blake change her mind.

Thankfully, Blake didn't seem to mind. "So Ryu will be moving in with me today."

Jin cleared his throat again as he patted his son's head. "Ryu's things are in the car right now. We were hoping we could leave him with you now so that we could head over to the airport. Our flight is in a few hours."

"You really only thought of me in the last minute, huh?" Blake could not help but grin at the shamed faces of her two friends. "It's alright. I could take Ryu now and it wouldn't be a problem. Kairos and I usually head home at this time if there isn't any extra work to do." She glanced at the reddening skies then her wristwatch. "You said your flight is in a few hours? Let's head over to your car so that you could give me Ryu's things." She followed Miyuki and Jin out of the park and towards their parked car.

"Well this is it," Miyuki handed Blake a large duffel bag and a small backpack. "We'll be gone for four days, but I packed for more than that just in case." As Blake shouldered both the backpack and the duffel bag, Miyuki bent down to hug her son and say her goodbyes. "Now Ryu, you behave while me and your daddy are gone."

Ryu grinned up at his mother and walked over to his father to give him a hug. "I'll be a good boy!" he assured them, sticking his thumb to his chest for emphasis. "I'll be a good boy for you, daddy and Auntie Blake!" He went back to his now standing mother and hugged her around the knees. "Come back soon ok?" he added, trying hard not to cry. "I will miss you!"

"We'll be back before you know it," Jin promised as he shook hands with Blake. "I shouldn't even bother to ask you to take care of Ryu because I know you will."

Blake clasped hands with Jin and smiled. "I will do my best. Have a safe trip!" Blake held out her hand, let Ryu hold onto her as the both of them watched Jin and Miyuki get back into the car, wave one last time to their son and drove off for the airport. "Now don't be so sad!" Blake told the young boy at her side whose chin stuck out in a mulish angle as if he was about to cry. "Your mom and daddy said they'll be back so for now you'll be having a lot of fun with me, uncle Kairos and auntie Jez!"

Ryu sniffled once and swiped at his teary eyes. "I'm not crying!" he claimed but tightened his hold on Blake's hand. "I'm a grown-up! Grown-ups don't cry!" Ryu looked up and gave her adoptive aunt a toothy grin. "Besides I'm going to get to live with you!"

Storm-gray eyes sparkled with laughter as Blake stooped down to give Ryu a quick hug. "Come on little guy. Let's get back to my office and pick up Kairos so that we could all head for home." Blake opted to pick up the little boy and carry him all the way back to her office, but Ryu had staunchly argued that he would walk because he didn't want his auntie Blake to get tired from carrying him and his bags. She and Ryu chatted throughout the whole walk about the things he wanted to do while he stayed with the Blake and the Blackthorn siblings. When they finally reached the office, it took her a few minutes to explain the situation to Kairos and thankfully he had nothing against it.

"So you're going to be living with us," Kairos stated and motioned for Ryu to come to his desk. "Do you want some candy?" he took a glass container from his desk, popped it open and held it out to the boy. "I've always had candy on my desk, but it's only me and Blake who eat them." He smiled as Ryu stuck his hand into the container and brought out a handful of colorfully wrapped candies. He got up from his desk and grabbed his file case. "Shall we head home then?" He took the duffel bag from Blake and led them outside the building and into the parking lot.

"Shotgun!" Ryu exclaimed when he spotted Kairos' X5. "I want to sit in the front!"

"Sorry little guy," Kairos apologized. "It's safer for younger kids like you to stay in the back. Your auntie Blake and I have some grown-up things to talk about so she needs to stay in the front."

"That's unfair," Ryu pouted.

"I have a portable DVD player at the back."

The frown on the young boy's face immediately disappeared upon hearing that Kairos had a portable DVD player. "I'll sit in the back!" He happily hopped into the back seat and waited as Kairos set up the DVD player for him.

"Do you like Tom and Jerry?" The blonde man inquired. "That's the only DVD I have for now, but I have a few others at home." Kairos pressed the play button and left Ryu to watch the cartoon to strap himself into the driver's seat. "We'll be home in a few minutes and I believe Ash and Jez are there right now preparing dinner."

Blake looked quizzically at her foster brother. "Dinner? What's the occasion?" Even though she wasn't the one driving, Blake glanced at both sides of the intersection to check if there were any oncoming vehicles.

Kairos raised his eyebrows and let out a small grin. "This wasn't my idea alright?" He quickly looked at his rear view mirror to check on Ryu then focused his eyes on the road. "You do know what tomorrow is right?"

"It's October 18 tomorrow," Blake let out uninterested.

"You're too young to be having memory loss," Kairos teased. "It's my fault that we never really celebrated the day you picked to be your birthday every year."

Blake let out a long sigh and looked outside her window, watching the scenery outside pass by. "It's that day again. My birthday isn't important," she said coldly. "I never should have agreed to your suggestion of picking a day to be my birthday."

"Why are you saying that?" Kairos demanded. "Every ordinary person on this planet has a birthday!"

"But you forget that I'm not ordinary Kairos," Blake told her guardian in a suddenly icy voice. She looked at Kairos with an equally icy and piercing glare. "I was a test subject at ShadowLabs. I don't have a single memory of a family and the only memories I have are of pain-inflicting machines and drugs." There was hard bitterness evident in Blake's voice. "My birthday?" she spat out in disdain. "The only birth that I probably would have had is within a test tube."

"You're not any different from us, Blake," Kairos told his charge firmly. "I wish you would just let go of what happened in the past. You have the power to make your own life now."

Blake continued to stare out of the window. "Easy for you to say," she said softly. "You think it's so easy to forget that you were an entity created and tortured to serve as a weapon. I can never let go of that knowledge," she said bitterly. "I will not forget that I was brought into this world to be a weapon."

Kairos reached over and slapped his charge on her arm. "Idiot," he growled as he maneuvered his car into their neighborhood. "You think I care? Do you think Jez cares? Do you think your friends from Astraea Hill cares about that? To us you're Blake Saberhart and nothing else! Nothing else matters! As long as we all feel that way, you need not have those kinds of thoughts. I don't want to hear this again."

"It's your birthday tomorrow Auntie Blake?" Ryu called from the backseat. He moved forward so that his head peaked through the middle of the driver and passenger's seat. "I didn't know that! I have to find you a birthday gift!" He grinned at the still sullen Blake and asked, "What do you want? I'll get it for you!"

Blake forced a smile onto her face and ruffled the boy's hair with her hand. "Having you over at our place is enough for a gift," she told Ryu. She gave Kairos another sullen stare then went back to staring out of the window. She was about to announce to Ryu that they were just about to arrive at their apartment when Blake spotted a fire truck and two police cars cut in front of them and turn into the next street. "An accident?"

Kairos frowned. "They turned on our street. There might have been an accident in one of the buildings." The blonde man drove the SUV down the remaining stretch of road and turned on the same street, which the fire truck and police cars turned in to. "Shit…" he let out as he took in his surroundings.

"What the hell?" Blake muttered under her breath as she stared up at their apartment and saw black smoke billowing out of their penthouse windows. "Hurry it up and park the damn car!" Blake ordered and unbuckled her seatbelt. When the car halted at the curb, Blake immediately jumped out and strode towards the nearest fireman. "What happened?" she demanded while taking frequent glances at their penthouse.

"Kitchen accident from what we've gathered from those two ladies," the brawny fireman calmly replied and pointed at two familiar women sitting on the curb with blankets wrapped around their soaked bodies. "The fire's been contained so there's really no need for the fire department to let loose our hoses. The place had a sprinkler system but the water pretty much short-circuited all the electrical circuits in the apartment."

Blake nodded her head. "Thank you. Please excuse me," she told the fireman and strode over to Jez and Ash who shivered despite the blankets. Blake hastily dropped to her knees and fiercely hugged both Jez and her girlfriend. "Are you all right?" she asked them when she pulled away, but kept a hand on each woman's shoulder.

"We're all right, Blake," Jez assured the raven-haired woman with a shaky smile. "I should have changed that oven when I thought that it was working strangely," she chuckled morbidly. "It was only around twenty minutes since we put in the cake when something suddenly boomed while Ash and I were setting the dining room." Jez pulled the blanket closer around her body and ran a trembling hand across her soaked hair. "The whole place filled with smoke quickly and before we knew it, the sprinkler system came on." The designer grabbed hold of her girlfriend's hand and squeezed it tightly.

Blake hugged the two women once more and stepped back when Kairos came over to them with a worried look in his eyes and a baffled Ryu in his arms. Kairos transferred Ryu into Blake's arms as he this time bent down and hugged his sister tightly enough to make her squeak. He gave the same treatment to his sister's girlfriend after he was done with Jez. "I told you my so-called birthday isn't any good," Blake told her guardian.

Kairos was about to argue with Blake when Ryu asked, "Auntie Blake and uncle Kairos' place burned down so where are we going to stay now?"

"Damn it," Kairos slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Our things…"

"Your things are all right," the fireman who Blake talked to reported to them. "My men just came back and told me that it was just the kitchen that took the brunt of the damage. Everything else in your apartment is fine. What I can tell you now is that the kid is right about asking where you're going to be staying." He pointed at Ryu and took out a clipboard. "The whole place is soaked and all electrical circuitry are damaged. It'll take a day or two to finish investigation and it may take longer than that to repair your home."

"This is a problem," Kairos admitted. "Our things are safe, but we don't have a place to stay in. Well I could definitely go back to the Lionheart Organization's dormitories and I'll try asking if they could accommodate us," he referred to himself, Blake, Jez and Ryu. "I don't think it's a good environment for Ryu though," he added.

Ash wrung her waterlogged hair out. "Jez could stay with us. We have a guest room and my parents wouldn't mind if she stayed over. They would understand if they knew the situation." She smiled at her lover then directed her attention at Blake and Ryu. "But how about Blake and Ryu? Where will they stay?"

Kairos gazed at his charge and the young boy in her arms. "I'll call around. I have some friends who may be able to accommodate them," he told the group. "If things don't work out, I could always get Blake and Ryu a room at the nearest hotel."

"But Kairos!" Jez exclaimed. "That's going to cost you a lot! It might take a week to get our place to be habitable again!"

The blonde man shook his head and shoved his hands into his pockets. "We don't really have a choice and besides I have enough money to pay for hotel accommodations." He looked at Blake and silently asked for her say on this.

Blake merely shrugged and fixed her hold on Ryu. "What can we do about it? Staying in a hotel is all right I guess."

"That isn't necessary," A voice sounded nearby. "I'll take them in." The grouped all turned to stare at the platinum-haired woman before them. Shizuma stood with her arms crossed over her chest as she took in the view of the smoking penthouse, the soaked Jez and Ash, a worried looking Kairos and a worn looking Blake holding onto Ryu. "I was invited by Jez to come over and help with celebrating Blake's birthday early," she explained to Kairos and Blake. "I wasn't expecting this though, but anyway I'll be happy to let Blake and Ryu stay at my place."

"Are you sure, Shizuma?" Kairos asked. "Asking you to accommodate both Blake and Ryu for more than a few days seems to be too imposing on you." He nodded to a fireman's call that it was all right for them to head up and gather their things.

Shizuma shook her head. "I really insist. Besides, Miyuki is my best friend and I have to keep an eye on my godson." She voiced a greeting to Ryu and was rewarded with a cheerful smile. "Miyuki never said that I was appointed as Ryu's godmother." She walked to Blake's side. "Why don't you head up and salvage your clothes and other belongings while I get Ryu's stuff and transfer it to my car?" Shizuma took Ryu from Blake and motioned for Blake to take her suggestion.

Blake let out a long sigh and followed Kairos and Jez back into their apartment. "If it's really all right Shizuma," she told the former Etoile before disappearing into their apartment. The three apartment dwellers took half an hour to collect their things and haul it down to the ground floor.

Kairos said a few words over his cellphone conversation before hanging up and pocketing his phone. "I'll be temporarily moving in with the Lionheart Organization's members at their dormitories. We should meet up and talk about this incident." He looked expectantly at his younger sister and his charge.

"How about tomorrow? We still need to celebrate Blake's birthday," Jez suggested. "The thing is where are we going to hold the celebration?"

Blake could not help but growl at the Blackthorn siblings. "Can we drop this birthday crap?" She narrowed her eyes and glared at Kairos and Jez. "I have no intention of celebrating my birthday so if we're going to talk we're going to do just do that and nothing else tomorrow." She picked up her two duffel bags and looked at Shizuma meaningfully. "Ryu's stuff is in your car already right?" The amber-eyed woman nodded her head. "Let's get going then." She began to walk down the street without saying goodbye to the others.

"Kairos-san," Shizuma started, meaning to apologize.

"It's all right Shizuma," Kairos told the younger woman with a tired smile. "She gets awfully bitter these days and we're quite used to it. Go on now. Ryu looks like he's going to fall asleep at any minute now." He pointed at a drowsy looking Ryu in Shizuma's arms.

Shizuma bowed to Kairos and the others then turned around to catch up with the retreating figure of Blake. "Blake wait up!" she called out to the raven-haired woman who slowed down. "You don't want to celebrate your birthday? It's a special day!"

"It would have been a special day if that was really the day I was born on," Blake told her friend softly. "Shizuma it was Kairos who talked me into picking a date for my birthday."

The platinum-haired woman walked sedately by Blake's side. "ShadowLabs?" She let out a sigh when the taller woman stiffly nodded her head. "It doesn't matter when you were born," she said quietly. "What matters is that I knew a girl named Blake…" Shizuma paused and turned her head away. "What matters is that someone brought light back into my life and taught me how to love again."

"Eh?" Blake blinked and tried to keep a straight face. She could have sworn that Shizuma was implying that she still had some feelings for her.

"I wanna go to the ice-skating rink for auntie Blake's birthday…" Ryu suddenly let out sleepily, surprising the two women.

Shizuma smiled down at the toddler in her arms. "You heard that Blake. You wouldn't want to disappoint Ryu tomorrow by saying that you won't be celebrating tomorrow." She shoved her hand into her pocket and brought out her car keys. "Here's my car," she pointed the remote control at a crimson Audi A6 sedan. "It's about a ten minute drive from here to my apartment."

Blake held onto the drowsing Ryu as Shizuma started the car and drove back to her home. "You're a troublesome one," she could not help but tell the sleeping boy. "If you were just some other boy, I would never agree to celebrate my birthday like this." Looking at Shizuma, she asked, "Is there a nearby ice-skating rink around your area?"

A lone amber orb gazed at Blake. "There's a small one a few blocks from my apartment. Not a lot of people go there so we shouldn't have any trouble." A long silence ensued between them.

"Shizuma," Blake finally let out. "When you said that a while ago, did you-"

"Let's not talk about it now," Shizuma cut her friend off with a somewhat uninterested and sad look on her face. "I-I'm not ready to talk about it."

"Oh." Blake nervously ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry to have made you uncomfortable. Please forget what I said." She looked down at her sleeping burden then quickly glanced at Shizuma. "Aren't you feeling the least bit awkward that I'm going to be living with you for the next few days?"

"Why do you ask?"

Blake shrugged and turned away to hide the oncoming blush appearing on her face. "Well… you know," she mumbled. "With you and me before…" The car stopped at the intersection when the stoplight turned red, rendering Blake speechless. _Damn! __Why'd__ I have to say that! _Making up her mind, Blake turned her head and was about to apologize, but froze when she realized her face was just a few inches away from Shizuma's. Her stormy eyes were wide in surprise in contrast to the gentle amber ones that gazed back at her. _My heart… __it's__ pounding like crazy._ _Is she going to__…_Blake stiffened when she felt Shizuma shift forward slightly. She thought that her friend was set to give her a kiss when the forgotten boy in her arms whined and snuggled deeper into Blake's embrace. That simple distraction alone was enough to make Shizuma back off and set the car forward when the stoplight turned green.

"I'm sorry."

Blake stared at her companion and struggled to say something to her. For a moment, she thought that Shizuma was looking to renewing their relationship. It wouldn't have been a good idea to get together so soon. "You were teasing me again weren't you? You wanted to cheer me up and get me back to my usual self through your tactics," she lied with a believable grin on her face.

Shizuma stared at Blake for a few seconds before giving a small grin of her own. "Yeah… you got it right." It was easy to see that she just played along, but rather than let the awkward moment continue the two young women avoided the topic. "This is it." She parked the car in front of a red-bricked apartment building.

"Perhaps you should carry Ryu and I'll carry our things."

"Don't be silly! I'll carry Ryu's things and there's an elevator inside." Shizuma and Blake got out of the vehicle and began to gather their things. She walked around the car with the bags of Ryu and gently took the sleeping boy from Blake."Come on. Follow me." She led the way into the lobby of the apartment and into an elevator. "I live in the penthouse too, but it's not much compared to the one you, Kairos and Jez own." The elevators finally opened into the top floor of the building. "I'll make us dinner."

"You don't need to Shizuma!" Blake tried to argue as she stepped back to give Shizuma space to unlock her door. "I doubt Ryu is going to wake up later on and I'm really not that hungry after what happened a while ago."

"You mean the accident at you apartment?" The platinum-haired woman inquired, pushing her front door open and leading Blake inside her abode.

Blake dropped her bags onto the floor and stretched her back. "What else can I be referring to?"

Shizuma settled Ryu onto her couch and without looking at Blake, she replied, "Our conversation in the car…" She grabbed a blanket from a nearby closet and tucked it around her best friend's son. "What am I saying?" She smacked her forehead loudly with her palm. "I'll make us dinner either way.

"You're just as confusing as you were back when we were on Astraea Hill," Blake complained, going towards Shizuma and helping her out with preparing dinner. "You always had me in the dark and I had to guess what was on your mind."

"It kept you on your toes at least when we were still together," Shizuma retorted. "The reason why I got bored easily of pursuing the students of Astraea Hill was because I always had to do the work. Then you came along and things became much more fun!"

"You're really a wicked person."

* * *

The small indoor ice-skating rink was almost devoid of humanity except for the handful of staff who handled its day-to-day affairs and less than ten skaters in the rink. Two of those skaters were a certain platinum-haired woman and a loud and rambunctious blue-haired toddler. 

"Auntie Blake! Come skate with us!" Ryu shouted as he struggled against the guiding hands of his godmother. Despite insisting that he could skate on his own, Shizuma held onto him to keep him from falling over. "Auntie Shizuma! I could skate on my own so you don't need to hold onto me!" He finally broke away from Shizuma and thrust his foot forward on the ice only to spiral out of control and fall flat on his back.

Shizuma gracefully skated towards the fallen boy and scooped him back onto his feet. "Here now! You don't need to cry!" She gently patted her godson on his head and gave him a reassuring smile. "You could do this, but you just need to learn some basics first."

Blake chuckled from the rink's barrier. She leaned her forearms against the hard plastic barrier and waved at the two skaters. "Listen to your auntie Shizuma, Ryu!" Blake called out encouragingly. "Just hold onto her hand and she'll help you skate around until you're ready to skate without any help." The raven-haired woman hid a smile as she watched her adoptive nephew swipe at his teary eyes and grab hold of Shizuma's hand. The pair took off and skated around the perimeter of the rink, passing by Blake so that Ryu could wave at her. Until now Blake kept her eyes focused on her charge, but her eyes strayed took in the appearance of her friend. Shizuma always had this uncanny ability to transform any simple clothing she wore into something stunningly beautiful. In this case, the simple black turtleneck sweater she wore with her fit jeans really made her stand out.

"I'm going to let go now," Shizuma informed her student. "Remember to shift your weight as you skate around." She gently withdrew her hand and slowed to a stop on the ice to watch Ryu shakily skate a few feet forward. "Keep going!" she called out, skating forward to stay close to the boy just in case he takes a fall.

Ryu's skating gradually became surer and he began to take more strokes that are confident across the smooth ice. "Look auntie Blake! I'm doing it!" he cried happily. He went around Shizuma in a wobbly circle before skating off towards a group of young children on the other side of the rink.

"Well," Shizuma asked, skating towards Blake. "Don't you want to have a go on the ice? You told me before that you always wanted to try ice-skating when were still students at Saint Miator academy." She also leaned her forearms on the top of the barrier as she conversed with Blake. "Don't tell me this is one of those things you're not good at."

Blake smiled and looked down at the ice. "I've never tried it, but I'm guessing I won't do too well in this sport. Just look how badly I did when they forced me to dance with you during the Autumn Festival. I don't really have good balance with such elegant and graceful activities so I assume that ice-skating is one of them." From her position, she could easily see a blue-haired boy teaching a bunch of kids how to skate on the other side of the rink. "He's a fast learner and most of the credit goes to you."

"You flatter me," Shizuma replied, flipping her long platinum hair over her shoulder. "If you are that trusting of my skill as a teacher, won't you let me teach you how to skate?" She pushed away from the barrier and glided backward while holding out her hand to Blake.

A bark of laughter sounded from Blake's mouth. "Here you go again, using your womanly charms to make me succumb to your demands." Despite the accusation, Blake's eyes twinkled in amusement. "Sorry Shizuma. Nothing you're going to throw at me will make me get on the ice. I'm content to just stay here and watch."

"Suit yourself," she replied in a pout before skating off, her long hair rippling behind her.

Blake watched the former Etoile for a few minutes before pushing away from the barrier and heading towards a nearby food concessionaire. The small stall served several beverages like water, soda, juice, coffee tea and sandwiches. "Hi," she greeted the young woman who manned the stall. "Could you give me a turkey sandwich on wheat and a cup of tea?"

"Right away! Please have seat and I'll bring your order to you." The woman gestured at a set of tables and chairs nearby. Blake settled herself in a chair and was planning to take a short nap when her cellphone began to ring inside her pocket. Sighing, she brought out the cellphone and placed it against her ear. "Saberhart here."

_"How's staying over at Shizuma's place?" _Kairos' teasing voice made the hackles on the back of Blake's neck rise.

"Idiot…" Blake growled at her guardian. "You better not be implying something!"

Kairos let out a throaty laugh and apologized for teasing. _"Sorry Blake. You know how much I love to tease you. Casting the innuendo aside, please answer my question."_

Mouthing a word of thanks to the stall attendant for bringing her tea and sandwich, Blake replied to Kairos, "Things are all right. I sleep in the spare room of Shizuma's apartment while I asked her to have Ryu sleep with her in her own room. She has the bigger bed so it seemed logical to make that decision."

_"I bet you wanted to put Ryu in the spare room and you would be the one sharing Shizuma'__s bed."_

Blake's face flushed crimson as she sputtered into her cellphone's mouthpiece. "Asshole! Will you cut that out! Things aren't like that between me and Shizuma!" The raven-haired woman grabbed her sandwich and took a hasty bite of it. "Have you anything important to say? You're wasting my time with all your teasing."

_"Oh right. Jez and Ash reserved us a table at the Under the Night Sky bar tonight to celebrate your birthday," _Kairos informed his charge. _"Shizuma already knows and will be bringing Ryu over to her next-door neighbor's apart__ment while we party at the bar."_

"Kairos," Blake growled in a deadly tone.

_"You can't refuse__ Blake. Shizuma will be bent to bring you to the bar tonight and I know that you cannot resist Shizuma," _Kairos said cheerfully. _"I'll see you tonight then!"_

"Stupid…" Blake rested her forehead against her hand and closed her eyes. "Why must they be so serious about these birthdays?" She looked up and saw the food stall attendant approach her with a metal pot of tea.

"Would you like another cup? It's on the house," she assured Blake when she saw the raven-haired woman put up a hand to say no. "We don't usually have a lot of customers so we don't charge on the second or third cups." She quickly refilled Blake's cup and looked up with a scowl when a group of rowdy teen-aged boys burst through the doors. "Darn… they're here again."

"Who's they?" Blake sipped from her cup and looked at the boys from under lowered lashes.

"Those boys," the young woman reiterated with a shiver. "All they do is cause trouble when they're here. They harass the other skaters so that they could have the rink to themselves and when they leave they have this bad habit of scaring our staff who handles the cash register so that they don't need to pay."

Blake set her cup down on the table and continued to observe. There were around eight boys in the group and all seemed to be aged below eighteen. A few of them were powerfully built making Blake guess that these boys were either athletes or thugs. "Don't you have security?"

The young woman shook her head. "We're not really a big time skating rink so management can't afford to hire security. The rest of us staff are outnumbered by that gang so there's little that we can do to go against them." She squinted her eyes as she looked towards the skating rink. "Oh darn. The skaters are starting to leave the rink. At least all the kids got out," she said in relief. "Huh? There's a kid coming here in his socks."

Blake turned her head in the direction where the woman was pointing and was surprised to see a fearful looking Ryu running towards her in his socks. Worried, Blake got up and bent down to catch the boy when he threw himself at her. "What is it? What's wrong?" She stroked the boy's back as he tearfully tried to explain what happened.

"Auntie Shizuma!" Ryu blubbered as he pointed towards the skating rink.

"Shit!" Blake cursed, gathering the boy in her arms and bringing him to the concessionaire attendant. "Watch over him for me please," she said with dead seriousness in her voice, her storm gray eyes sparking in her anger.

Taking the boy from Blake, the woman grabbed hold of Blake's sleeve and asked, "Are you planning to take those boys on your own? You're crazy! You'll just get hurt!" She stared at Blake with worry in her eyes. "You're really going aren't you?" She took away her hand and began to comfort the crying boy in her arms. "I'll take care of him while you do your thing and I'll call the police just in case."

"Thanks, but the calling the police is unnecessary," Blake replied and strode towards the skating rink, mentally and physically preparing herself to handle this precarious situation. She could hear the boys' voices as she got closer and she knew that from their tone that they were mocking someone.

"You sure are a tough one to just skate up towards us and tell us to leave!" A boy wearing a leather jacket a bandanna around his head sneered at the platinum-haired woman who stood in the center of their group. "You could have just saved yourself the trouble and left along with those other people."

His other friends laughed around him while a few leisurely skated close to Shizuma and circled her. "She's a pretty face," another boy observed with a lecherous smile on his face. "We rarely see anyone this pretty in this place. It's a good thing she decided to try to stop us instead of leaving with the others. This way we have someone to play with," he licked his lips and took a handful of Shizuma's hair into his hand.

Shizuma snapped her head to the side and slapped the hand of the boy who touched her hair. "Sorry boys, but I'm not in the mood to play any of your games. The only boys I play with are those who have manners," she informed them with a sweet smile that gradually turned into smirk. "You boys on the other hand have the manners of pigs so tough luck." She skated forward and attempted to break through the circle of boys around her. "Now will you excuse me."

The boy wearing the bandanna let out a growl roughly pushed Shizuma back into the middle of the circle. "You have quite a mouth on you, ice princess." He sneered as Shizuma fell onto the ice as a result of his shove. "Good thing though that I like girls who talk dirty all the more those kinds of girls whose dirty talk are like yours." He snapped his fingers and watched as most of his friends backed off while two of them got down on the ice and pressed Shizuma securely onto the ice. "I'm going to have a lot of fun today." The leader reached down towards the heaving chest of Shizuma.

"I'd back off if I were you."

The leader straightened and eyed the person at the skating rink barrier who just called to him. "Hmmm… I thought everyone left. I'll throw that back at you," he narrowed his eyes at Blake. "Back off or my boys here will beat you to a pulp." He went back to looking at the platinum-haired woman pinned on the ice before him. "Leave me to my business now." This time he reached down and groped hard at Shizuma's chest, startling a cry from her.

"Get off her bastard!" Blake shouted, grabbing hold of the barrier and vaulting over and onto the ice. She strode forward trying her best to keep her balance. Five of the boys skated towards her in an attempt to stop or beat her up. Blake easily sidestepped the first rush of one boy and stuck her foot out to trip him. She didn't bother to look as the boy she tripped slammed his head on the ice and instead aimed a hard punch at another boy's face, effectively knocking him out.

"Watch out Blake!" Shizuma shouted from the hard surface of the ice.

Blake quickly jumped aside in time to save herself from being gutted by the blade of an ice skate, but was slow enough to let the blade rip through the sleeve of her arm and bite into her skin. "Damn!" she cursed, grasping her arm to try to stop the flow of her blood that was staining the ice. The same boy who kicked at her with his blade-covered foot came at her again, but this time Blake was ready for him. She grabbed hold of the boy's outstretched leg just as he kicked at her and with a lot of effort swung him towards the rink's barrier. With a sickening thud, the boy slammed against the barrier and slid uselessly down on the ice. With anger burning in her eyes, Blake strode forward once more systematically disposing of the two remaining attackers with a brutal punch into the stomach and a precise kick to the groin of the other one.

"You two!" The leader with the bandanna shouted. "Take care of this!" He shoved his hand into his jacket pocket and watched as his two remaining cohorts got to their feet and sprinted towards the furious raven-haired woman. He watched in shock as his opponent disposed of his friends in a more brutal manner. One friend was knocked back by an upward bone-crunching palm strike that broke the boy's nose and knocking him out. His remaining friend received a clothesline, which almost crushed his throat before slamming hard onto the ice. "Who the hell are you?!" The leader shouted, trying to hide the fear in his voice. "How can a girl beat seven guys on her own?!"

"Seven?" Blake asked icily, clenching her fists which made her blood flow out faster onto the ice. "You must be mistaken. I've beaten eight guys," she declared with a smile, rushing forward to engage with the remaining troublemaker.

"Don't think this is your victory!" The last boy took out a knife from his jacket pocket and stabbed at the oncoming Blake. His attack missed due to the woman's evasion, but managed to nick the delicate skin on his opponent's face. "You're dead!" he shouted and threw another stab, but missed once more. "What the fuck?!" he cried out before feeling a hand wrap around his throat and squeeze hard.

Blake glared at the boy as she slowly tightened her grip around his neck. She could feel her hot blood seeping down the side of her face, some going down her neck while the rest dripped to the floor. "I would have thought that boys like you who have the manners of pigs would have enough sense to back off when they're told to," she said softly in a deadly voice. In her anger, she did not realize that she had already lifted the boy a few centimeters off the ice. Blake continued to glare at the choking boy, not loosening her grip around his neck. "You'll pay for this." She was set to choke him when arms wrapped around her from behind.

"Stop it Blake! Don't kill him!" Shizuma shouted into Blake's back. "You've done enough," she whispered. "They have learned their mistake so please…"

Blake blinked once then twice before relinquishing her hold on the boy's neck, letting him drop onto the cold ice beneath them. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself before asking her question to the woman who still hugged her from behind. "Are you alright?" Blake rested her hand on the pale one resting against her stomach.

"Yes," Shizuma replied in a whisper, linking their fingers together. She let go of Blake and skated around her. "You're hurt," she hissed in pity, gently cupping the bleeding cheek of Blake.

"It's nothing." Blake gave her friend a tired grin and allowed the woman to lead her towards the rink's exit. Blake tiredly stepped off the ice and dropped hard on her knees to let a bawling Ryu rush into her arms. "Hey little guy," she greeted, patting the boy on his head using her uninjured arm. "Everything is alright. Your auntie Shizuma is safe now." Blake felt a hand settle on her shoulder and squeeze. Looking up, she saw the food concessionaire attendant approach her with a group of policemen behind her. "I told you calling the police was unnecessary," she told the other woman. "Although they'll be useful now if they collect these troublemakers and ship them to jail."

The young woman shook her head and returned the tired smile at Blake. "I don't know how to thank you," she started then held out a white box. "You need medical attention though for your wounds." She pointed at her wounded cheek and forearm.

Shizuma stepped forward and took the first aid kit. "Could you do all the explaining to the police while I treat Blake?" After a nod of agreement from the woman, Shizuma led Blake who still held Ryu in her arms towards a nearby bench. "Ryu please sit next to you auntie Blake while I take care of her," she told the still crying boy who obediently sat next to Blake on the bench. "Sorry but this might hurt," Shizuma warned then gently rolled up the bloodied sleeve of Blake. "It's not that deep and the blood is starting to clot. I'll just disinfect it then wrap it up with these bandages." She set the first aid box on Ryu's lap and asked him to hold onto it as she took out the necessary materials to treat Blake's injuries. "You could have gotten seriously hurt, Blake," Shizuma said softly as she first cleaned her bleeding arm with a moist towel then applied the disinfectant on Blake's wounded arm.

"It was either acknowledging that risk or letting you get sexually harassed by that kid," Blake retorted, wincing as the disinfectant burned. "Did you think I would have let that happen to you?" she demanded, watching Shizuma secure bandages around her wounded arm.

The platinum-haired woman shook her head as she finished wrapping Blake's arm with bandages. "We should pass by a nearby clinic to get this professionally looked at," she told Blake then began to work on her wounded cheek. "Ryu please get me a band-aid and put it on your auntie Blake's wound when I'm done disinfecting it."

"Will you answer my question!" Blake asked in annoyance, turning her face so that Shizuma would have more access to the wound on her face.

Shizuma gently cleaned away the blood then applied the disinfectant. "No… I knew that you wouldn't let someone do that to me," she finally admitted. "After having known back in high school, I knew that you wouldn't let someone hurt another for stupid reasons." She stepped back and helped Ryu get to his feet on the bench. "Go on now. Just stick it on your auntie Blake's face."

Blake bent down slightly so that Ryu could place the adhesive band-aid on her cheek. "Thanks little guy. This was quite a scare for you huh?" Blake got to her feet and gathered her charge in her arms once more. "Let's go get some ice cream and head home."

Shizuma walked by Blake's side as they made their way out of the building and towards the parking lot. "Perhaps it's best if I call Kairos and tell him to cancel tonight's celebration." She opened the car door for Blake and watched her strap Ryu in. "Could I borrow your cellphone to contact him?" She took the produced cellphone with a mouthed word of gratitude before calling Kairos. "Kairos-san? This is Shizuma. I think we should cancel the celebration tonight at that bar." Shizuma listened for a moment then let out a sigh. "We ran into some trouble at the ice-skating rink and Blake's injured," she explained. "I did some first-aid treatment on her, but I'm bringing her over to the nearest clinic to get her properly treated. Perhaps we could just reschedule to tomorrow night? It wouldn't be a problem? All right I'll make sure to bring Blake tomorrow night and I'll take care of her until then." She hung up and handed the phone back to the raven-haired woman.

"When you said cancel, I thought there wasn't going to be any rescheduling," Blake said with a frown.

Shizuma smiled at Blake, backed the car out of the parking space and set off towards the nearest clinic. "You just sit back until we get to that clinic. We still have to celebrate you birthday properly and I absolutely refuse to not let you celebrate it with your friends."

"I just realized something."

Shizuma glanced at Blake with the corners of her eyes. "And what is that?"

"You're really an annoying and stubborn woman."

* * *

"Drink up Blake! It's your birthday celebration and you're not drinking as much as you usually do!" Jez shouted, filling a shot glass with vodka and pushing it towards Blake. 

True to Shizuma and Kairos' words, the party was indeed rescheduled and now it was in full swing at the Under the Night Sky bar. The establishment wasn't as crowded as usual, but there were enough people to fill the dance floor with the gyrating bodies of young men and women. Although everyone seemed to be having a good time, a particular raven-haired woman could not help but scowl at her companions and at her surroundings. Kairos, Blake, Jez, Ash and Shizuma draped themselves on two couches at set at the corner of the bar.

"What's wrong with you? Drink as much as you want!" Kairos told his charge as he gulped down his drink. "I'm not going to scold you for getting drunk tonight!" It was obvious from the unusual trace of a slur in his speech that he was getting tipsy.

"I'm not really in the mood to get drunk," Blake informed her friends, gently running a finger over her recently treated and bandaged forearm. "I would have preferred to stay at home and babysit for Ryu." She continued to scowl even when someone laid a hand on her knee. Blake let out a sigh and smiled at Shizuma who sat beside her. "I'll drink alright," she surrendered to her friends' begging and gulped the shot of vodka down.

Ash giggled at something Jez whispered into her ear then pulled away from the her girlfriend's advances. "So Blake, you didn't get on the ice at all when you and Shizuma took Ryu to the local ice skating rink?" She playfully slapped Jez's wandering hands.

"Oh I did get on the ice," Blake replied sordidly. "But I didn't get on to skate."

"She beat up the boys who were picking on Shizuma," Kairos blurted out, ignoring the look Blake shot at him. "A group of eight boys usually caused trouble in that ice skating rink and they chose to single Shizuma out when she tried to tell them off." He waved his empty beer bottle up in the air to signal the nearby bartender to bring over a new bottle. "Blake here didn't like what she saw so she got on the ice and pretty much went through all eight of the boys to save Shizuma. She got that nasty wound on her forearm and the scratch on her cheek from the tussle."

Ash whistled softly and grinned at the raven-haired woman. "Wow! You must have been really angry to have beat up all eight guys single-handedly!"

Jez chuckled and winked at Blake. "Maybe it's better to say she did that because she didn't want anyone to lay a hand on Shi- Hey!" Jez cried out when Blake lobbed the shot glass at her. "No need to get so violent! We're commending you for your heroism through this birthday celebration!"

"A birthday you say? Whose birthday is it?" A dark-haired woman in tight leather pants, tube top and bolero approached them with a tray of drinks. "Hello Kairos, Jez and Blake."

Kairos tipped his empty bottle at the woman and grinned up at her from his seat. "Hey Kate! I didn't know you were working tonight! If I knew I would have invited you to celebrate Blake's birthday with us!" He thanked the singer-bartender who gave him a fresh bottle of beer.

Kate Ross smiled at the group of young people before her. "Ah so it's Blake's birthday huh?" She gave the celebrant a seductive wink. "I wish I knew earlier so that I could have prepared something for you, but I can definitely do something for you later." Kate raised her eyebrows at the two unfamiliar women in the group.

"Oh Kate! This is my girlfriend Ash and the one sitting beside Blake is Shizuma!" Jez introduced the two women to the bartender.

Kate smiled and shook hands with the two women. "I know them," she informed the group. "Well, I know how they look like from the fashion magazines," Kate clarified. "Models right? Although I never knew that Blake over here was a model herself."

Blake growled as she hastily refilled another shot glass with vodka and downing it. "Don't you have work to do, Kate?"

The dark-haired beauty raised her head and laughed. "Yes I do have work and I'll be going back now since you don't like to be teased." She set the tray against her hip and turned on her heel to head back to the bar. "I was serious though about the gift I'm going to give you later." She winked at Blake once more. "Give me a few minutes to get ready," she told them before disappearing back into the crowd.

"You seemed quite chummy with Kate," Ash observed, looking sidelong at Blake from her seat.

"We should be," Blake countered casually. "She was the one who always made sure I didn't drink too much and got me home after doing a drinking spree." She spotted the easy change of face from Shizuma. "She's a good friend of mine. I owe her a lot for taking care of me whenever I'd get wasted from all the drinking I did in this bar."

"You get depressed easily huh?" Ash asked, the mischievous glint in her eyes still there. "You must have done a lot of drinking before Shizuma showed-Hey! Jez save me!" Ash squealed as a shot glass was lobbed at her.

Blake glared at the couple. "One more remark and I'll be walking out of here," she warned. She leaned back heavily against the couch and looked across the crowded dance floor. Her eyes widened when she spotted Kate getting up on stage and grabbing the microphone.

"Good evening everyone!" Kate shouted into the microphone and received cheers and a thunderous applause. "I know it's been a while since I last gave you guys a show, but today is special! There's a special someone here who is celebrating her birthday and I'll be singing her favorite song for her as a birthday gift." She waved at Blake's table then smiled at the people who gathered in front of the stage. "So here goes nothing!" She pointed at the live band and began to sway to the opening riffs of the song with her eyes closed.

_Baby's black balloon makes her fly_

_I almost fell into that hole in your life_

_And you're not thinking about tomorrow_

_Cause you were the same as me_

_But on your knees_

_A thousand other boys could never reach you_

_How could I have been the one_

_I saw the world spin beneath you_

_And scatter like ice from the spoon_

_That was your womb_

_Comin__' down the world turned over_

_And angels fall without you there_

_And I go on as you get colder_

_Or are you someone's prayer_

_You know the lies they always told you _

_And the love you never knew_

_What's the things they never showed you_

_That swallowed the light from the sun_

_Inside your room_

_Comin__' down the world turned over_

_And angels fall without you there_

_And I go on as you get colder_

_Or are you someone's prayer_

As the band played the instrumental before the bridge part of the song, Kate suddenly jumped off the stage, wove through the excited crowd and walked towards Blake's table with the wireless microphone still in her hand. Catching Blake off guard popping a cherry into her mouth, Kate skulked towards her and slid into the raven-haired woman's lap.

"Kate?" Blake stuttered in surprise.

The singer-bartender merely gave the woman a seductive smile before pressing her lips against Blake's lips. She kissed the motionless woman for a few seconds before pulling away and slipping back onto the floor. She turned to go back to the stage, but put two fingers in her mouth and pulled out a cherry stem. With one last wink, she walked back to the stage and sang the remaining verses of the song.

_And there's no time left for __losin_

_When you stand they fall_

_Comin__' down the world turned over_

_And angels fall without you there_

_And I go on as you get colder_

_All because I'm_

_Comin__' down the years turn over_

_And angels fall without you there_

_And I'll go and lead you home and_

_All because I'm_

_All because I'm_

_And I'll become_

_What you became to me_

The band ceased their playing and waved their thanks to the applauding and hooting audience while Kate happily shouted through the microphone. "Thanks everyone and happy birthday Blake! Hope you liked my gift for you! Come see me at the bar alright?" With that she placed the microphone back on its stand and got off the stage.

Jez, Kairos and Ash stared at a perplexed and flushed Blake. "Not quite the gift I expected her to give to you," Jez commented as she glanced at Shizuma who seemed to be uncomfortable. "You should probably go and see what Kate wants at the bar."

Blake nodded her head and excused herself from her friends. She made her way to the bar and sat on the empty bar stool where a smiling Kate Ross waited for her. "Your gift," Blake started.

"Did you like it?" Kate interrupted, her cheeks a bit flushed. "I practiced that song so that I could sing it to you for such an occasion," she continued. "Blake, it wasn't just a gift all right." She gazed at the raven-haired woman with longing in her eyes.

"So the kiss-"

Kate nodded. "It meant something," she briefly explained. "Blake, I've had feelings for you ever since you stepped foot into this bar."

Blake sat there stunned and speechless for a few seconds before managing to come up with a reply. "So all those times you made those suggestions about coming home with you so that you could make me feel better," she started. "You were trying to pull a move on me?"

"Yes," the bartender replied shyly. "I thought that suggesting those would hint to you what my feelings were towards you, but you're such a dense person." Kate looked down at her clasped hands on top of the bar. "That's why I opted to do something more extravagant to make you notice." She looked up and searched yearningly for a reply from the woman in front of her.

Blake closed her eyes and rested her fingers on her eyelids. "Kate…" she said softly. "I truly am grateful for your song, but you must understand." She opened her eyes and looked at the singer seriously. "I may have made myself look dense to you, but I knew that you were interested in me. There was a reason why I refused all your suggestions and that was because I didn't like you in that way." The smile on Kate's face froze, but Blake continued on. "I truly appreciate you, but not in the way that you wish it to be," she told the other woman sadly. "Please understand." With that, Blake got up from her seat and made her way back to the couches occupied by her friends. "Eh? Where's Shizuma?" She saw that the seat beside her was empty.

Kairos looked at his charge with a distressed look on his face. "She left," he informed her. "She didn't say anything about where she was going." Jez and Ash nodded their heads in confirmation as Blake stared at the empty seat.

"Damn it!" Blake cursed. "I'm leaving." She didn't bother to say goodbye to her friends and jogged towards the bar's exit. "Hey bouncer!" she called at the brawny man who stood at the exit. "Did you see a woman with long white-silvery hair go out?"

"Yeah she just got out a few minutes ago." He opened the door for her and let her go out into the chilly night air.

Blake ran outside and searched for the familiar platinum hair up and down the street. "Where could she have gone?" Blake asked herself, jogging down the street hoping to catch her friend. "I have to explain to her… and apologize too." She continued to search by foot for the next hour, but cut it short when it started to rain. The raven-haired woman took shelter under a closed shop's awning and looked at her watch as she wrung her soaked hair and clothes of rainwater. "It's close to one am now. I should head home. Shizuma's neighbor should have brought Ryu back into her apartment a few hours ago." Flagging down a passing cab and getting in, Blake settled down into the worn seats of the car to worry more about the disappearing act of her friend.

She arrived at Shizuma's place twenty minutes past one and was dismayed to see that Shizuma had not arrived. Blake let out a sigh and went to check on Ryu who slept peacefully on Shizuma's bed. "She's not here yet. Where could have you gone?" She walked towards the windows and looked out to see that the rain was coming down harder. _Please be safe! _

The raven-haired woman prepared a pot of tea to pass the time and to warm her soaked body. She could have changed into dry clothes, but she was too worried to do so. One and half pots of tea and a two hours of pacing later, Blake fell heavily onto the only couch in Shizuma's home. _Where are you? Why are you doing this?_ She knead her temples and glanced outside the window. _Are you safe from the rain?_

Suddenly the doorknob jiggled and the door creaked open. Blake looked up and locked eyes with sad amber orbs. It was indeed Shizuma who walked into her apartment. She was completely soaked and her hair fell across her face and back in damp clumps. The floor was forming puddles beneath her as she threw carelessly dropped her coat onto the ground, leaving her in the simple black dress she wore.

Blake got to her feet, but instead of saying the script she had formulated in her head from the hours of waiting, she said in a near shout, "Where the hell have you been? I went out and searched for you for over an hour and I've been here waiting for you since I arrived!"

Shizuma narrowed her eyes at Blake and crossed her trembling arms over her chest. "Who gives you the right to shout at me? I'm a grown woman and I could take care of myself on the streets of New York!"

"That doesn't matter! You were out in the rain and things could have still happened to you even if you claim you could take care of yourself!" Blake argued back, almost shouting again because of the mixed worry and anger she was feeling.

The platinum-haired woman took a step forwards and angrily pointed at Blake. "Why are you so angry? I should be the one angry at you!" she shouted, clenching her fist hard. "I come along to celebrate your birthday and that woman just pushed herself onto you and you didn't seem to mind at all!" Shizuma's amber eyes blazed with a mix of anger and betrayal.

"Is this why you're mad?!" Blake demanded almost laughing out loud. "She may have kissed me Shizuma, but it did not mean anything to me!" She glared at the soaked former Etoile and clenched her fists at her sides. "How could you make me worry like this?! I hate it when I worry over you!" Blake clenched her teeth and turned her face away from the astonished Shizuma.

There was silence between them and only the sound of pattering rain was heard. "You… were really worried about me weren't you?" Shizuma asked quietly, rubbing her forearm.

Blake nodded stiffly but kept her face turned away from Shizuma because of her embarrassment. "I-I was worried sick for you. I hated it that I couldn't find you and that the only thing I could do was just wait here for hours, hoping that you would be safe."

"Oh."

"Look about Kate," Blake started, still not looking at Shizuma. "It's not what you think it is-" Her voice caught in her throat as a hand cupped her face and pulled her to look forward. Before she could say anything, she felt Shizuma press her body into her own and capture her lips in a heated kiss. Everything in Blake's mind turned to pulp as all her senses zeroed in on the kiss. She could feel the gentle movement of Shizuma's lips against her own as her arms wrapped around the chilled body of the platinum-haired woman and pulled her closer. _Shizuma…_

Lightning flashed from outside as Shizuma pushed Blake backward making her fall onto the couch. Breathing heavily, she pulled away from the kiss, slid into the lap of her lover and straddled her. She slid her hands onto Blake's cheeks and looked deeply into those stormy gray orbs. "I've missed you," she whispered hotly before locking their lips together once more. She wrapped her arms around Blake's neck and felt her lover bury her hands into her wet hair.

In her wanton abandon, Shizuma pressed her tongue onto Blake's full lower lip asking for entrance. When she felt the slight movement of her lover's lips opening, she immediately dove into the warm depths. Shizuma savored the feeling of her tongue exploring the confines of Blake's mouth and the frequent warring of their tongues with each other. Shizuma shivered as she felt Blake run a hand up her spine and let out a small moan. Making up her mind as she continued to kiss Blake, she fumbled at the buttons at the front of Blake's shirt while Blake's hands found the zipper at the back of her dress. She had slipped a hand inside of Blake's shirt and made contact with the chilled skin underneath when both women heard a whimper.

"Auntie Shizuma? Auntie Blake? I'm scared," Ryu rubbed his eyes sleepily while clutching a teddy bear to his chest. He stood groggily at the door of Shizuma's room not looking the least bit aware of what his two adoptive aunts were doing. The little boy flinched as lightning lit the room up. "Please come sleep with me on the bed?"

Shizuma bowed her head down for a while before looking to gaze at a heavily breathing Blake. With a sad smile on her face, she gave Blake one last longing kiss before getting off her lap. "Come on Ryu. Let me just change out of my wet clothes then we could sleep together." She walked over to Ryu and led him back inside her room.

"I want auntie Blake to sleep with us too!" Ryu let out. "Just like how I sleep between mommy and daddy whenever I get scared at night."

Blake chuckled and stood at the open door. "Get back into bed Ryu. I'll be there in a few minutes." She gazed longingly at Shizuma before heading to her room to change into dryer clothes. Already in her clothes, Blake made her way into Shizuma's room and quietly closed the door behind her. She quickly switched off the light then padded towards the bed where Shizuma and Ryu lay. Murmuring an apology and good night to Ryu, she slipped under the covers and reached out from underneath the blanket. Her fingers immediately found its target twined with Shizuma's fingers. She and Shizuma traded sleepy smiles before drifting off to sleep, knowing that they were together once again.

* * *

"Morning." Blake greeted sleepily when she opened her eyes to find Shizuma already awake and watching her. 

Shizuma smiled and inched closer to her lover. "Morning," she greeted back then sweetly kissed Blake. She pulled away as a messy head of blue hair popped out from between them. "Morning Ryu!" Shizuma greeted as the little boy rubbed the sleep away from his eyes.

"Morning auntie Shizuma," Ryu greeted then turned to Blake. "Morning auntie Blake."

Blake ruffled her charge's hair and greeted him back. "I'll make breakfast," she volunteered, slipping out of bed and stretching her body. "Meet me at the kitchen in ten minutes." She winked at Shizuma before stepping out of the room.

"Why is auntie Blake winking at you?" Ryu asked innocently as he let Shizuma carry him out of bed and into the bathroom.

Shizuma grinned and shook her head. "She's just teasing me about something." Ten minutes later, the cleaned up two women and the young toddler sat at the small dining table eating breakfast. Ryu chattered happily about the things he did at the neighbor's home while his two adoptive aunts were away. He wasn't aware that his aunts were hardly listening to him as they drank their coffee and held hands underneath the table.

"So you ready to see your parents?" Blake finally asked when the toddler ceased talking. "They just called to say that they're on their way to your house." She grinned when Ryu started to clap his hands in glee. "I'll drive you over there as soon as you finish breakfast."

True enough when breakfast was finished, Blake carried Ryu's bags and led the boy out of Shizuma's apartment. "Say bye to you auntie Shizuma and be a good boy by pressing the elevator button," she told the Miyuki's son and watched him give Shizuma a sloppy kiss before running towards the elevator. Blake watched as Shizuma looked at her with a raised eyebrow with her hand gripping her elbow. Blake raised an eyebrow of her own then leaned forward to kiss Shizuma on the lips. "I'll be back in an hour or so," she told her after pulling away from the kiss.

Caressing Blake's cheek, Shizuma smiled and replied, "I'll be waiting for you." She smiled once more before closing her front door.

Blake then made her way to the elevator and let Ryu grab hold of her hand as they travelled to the ground floor then got into Shizuma's car. The morning traffic wasn't as bad she thought so she was able to make it to Miyuki and Jin's condominium in thirty minutes. She brought Ryu up to his unit and watched the joyful reunion of the family then refused having Miyuki's offer of having breakfast. She mentioned that she had to get back to Shizuma's home to get her things, which made Miyuki look suspiciously at her. The young mother could not pry any questions because Blake right away bid them goodbye.

The ride back took longer than the ride going to Miyuki's home, but Blake didn't mind because she knew that Shizuma would be waiting for her. When she finally parked the car in front of the familiar red-bricked building, Blake happily whistled as she made her way up to Shizuma's penthouse. Blake had actually made a quick stopover along the way to buy a small cake for Shizuma. She walked out of the elevator and casually walked down the hall. "Huh?" Blake's eyebrows furrowed when she spotted the door to Shizuma's home open. "Did she accidentally leave it open or did she leave for somewhere?" Blake pushed the door open and stepped inside only to be taken aback by the sight before her.

The once tidy home was a mess. There were upturned tables and chairs while the bookshelf had fallen over, scattering all the books and other documents all over the floor. The kitchen and dining room was also in disarray as Blake carefully stepped around shards of glass and porcelain. "Shizuma?" Blake called out, walking into the rooms hoping to find her lover. The knot in Blake's stomach tightened as the realization of the seriousness of the situation dawned upon her. Walking back into the main room of the apartment, a piece of paper with a black seal caught Blake's eye. She grabbed the letter, broke the seal and hastily began to read the crisp and bold writing on the letter.

_If you wish to see her safe, go to the abandoned __oil rig__ on the coast by yourself. Inform no one of this otherwise we cannot guarantee the safety of this woman. _

_-Redfern_

* * *

_**Another chapter up! Seriously, i'm really slowing down when it comes to updating. As much as i want to keep updating as fast as i can, i've been really busy with schoolwork. for this trimester, i really have a lot of papers to do so i rarely have time to type a few paragraphs. **_

_**i'd like to think too that i update slower because i don't get that many reviews. hahaha! the reviews of my consistent readers have always encouraged me to keep writing, but i would appreciate it if more of my readers left a simple review for me. it would really inspire me to write more. **_

_**anyway, things are heating up again and i hope this chapter made you all enjoy and has somehow tickled your minds to what's coming up next!**_

_**Alaeri: **__**yeah, the site was awfully slow when i was attempting to upload this chapter. they did change clothes during the photoshoot but i didn't really give the details about it. the whole water park escapade was just recent idea that i decided to use while i was making that particular chapter of this story, but i found it highly amusing and entertaining. about Shizuma's comment on doing "things" with Blake, they actually haven't gone to "that" if it was worrying you. of course i wouldn't keep the details if they did proceed to that kind of thing! hehe! patience, it'll come soon though:)**_

_**vampknight364: hahaha! yeah, Blake was really shocked when she was suddenly forced to model for Jez. thanks for your constant reviews!**_

_**next chapter: risk, torture, escape and rescue **_


	20. Control Lost

**A word of warning to the readers.**

**This chapter's rating is changed from a rating of ****T to a rating of M for violence.**

**This is a revised version of the chapter. **

* * *

_Chapter 20: Control Lost_

Even though it has been hours since she discovered the note signed by the same Redfern who was the overseer of her test subject days, Blake could not stop her hands from trembling. She had thought that the scientist had been detained for running the illegal organization, but apparently he was still loose and now he had Shizuma in his grasp. Confusion was mostly running through her mind aside from the distress she felt for her kidnapped lover. Why did ShadowLabs choose to act just now? Five years had gone since they last attempted to seize Blake to continue their experiments on her. Surely, it would have been easier if they attempted another abduction a few years back when she wasn't as protected by the Lionheart Organization.

The remnants of ShadowLabs were getting sneakier and more heinous in their methods. Blake wondered if her importance to the organization had increased by so much to make them pull such an act. She knew what they were thinking when they made this plan. Shizuma was bait and they were waiting for her to take it and fall into their trap. _They must have planned for this somehow during all those years. _Blake thought grimly as she cleaned up the remaining mess in Shizuma's home. She knew that if someone would stumble upon the messy room they would call the authorities and it would eventually reach the Lionheart Organization. The organization would bring out all their arms to exterminate ShadowLabs once and for all, but Blake couldn't give away the information for fear of Shizuma's life. The organization may have been resolute in protecting Blake, but they certainly wouldn't hold back to kill their opponents. Blake forced herself to not imagine the organization bombing the abandoned oil rig, killing the remnants and Shizuma too.

Blake sat back on the couch and surveyed her surroundings, making sure that everything was in place. Concluding that everything was in order, Blake took out the letter from her pocket and began to read it again. _Abandoned __oil rig__ off the coast huh? _She thought while trying to remember if there were any oil rigs in the area. _There's__ only one oil rig that's near enough, but it's over twenty miles into the ocean from Manhattan bay_She tossed the letter onto the table and frowned hard at this predicament. _Kairos will kill me if he finds out that __I'm__ planning to storm the current base of ShadowLabs on my own, but I have to save Shizuma! __She __wasn't__ supposed to be dragged into this!_Blake angrily banged her fists onto the table as she struggled to come up with a plan that would not endanger their lives or the lives of other people. _Damn it!__It's__ a full proof plan! __If I tell Kairos and the organization, __they'll__ save my life but I won'__t be assured__ if Shizuma will live. __On the other hand, if I choose to give in to their demands and go to the __oil rig__ alone, they'll certainly put me through a hell of a time and if they're successful in changing me into the weapon they planned for… it would mean worse for the rest of humanity._

What was left for her to choose? The world or Shizuma? Blake always thought that those kinds of situations where people in movies would sacrifice everything to save the world were such noble things to do. Now faced with the same dilemma, she now doubted her belief on the matter. Nonetheless, she had to do something. She could not just stay there and wait for things to happen for her. Grabbing a lighter that she found in a kitchen drawer, Blake took the letter to the small fireplace and lit the scrap on fire, watching the flame hungrily consume the meager fuel given to it before throwing the burning letter into the dirty hollow of the hearth. She had a lot work to do if she decided to leave tonight.

Blake grabbed a piece of paper from Shizuma's writing desk and briskly wrote a note saying that Shizuma was going out of town for business and would be back by next week. Satisfied with the note, Blake exited the apartment, locked the door and stuck the note on the door for everyone to see. The note and cleaning the apartment would hopefully hide the disappearance of its tenant. _At least for a few days until I'm able to fix this mess… that's if I do get out of this mess that I'm about to jump into. _Blake smiled and waved at Shizuma's neighbors out in the hallway then resumed her distressed countenance when she was alone in the elevator.

_Just when things seemed to be going back to the way it was…_ Blake thought in frustration as she strode out of the apartment building and flagged a cab down. "Take me to the Lionheart Organization," she ordered the cab driver and resumed her silent strategizing. _I promised Kairos that I would meet with him today at the office to discuss the repair expenses of our apartment and do some office work while __we're__ at it. __If we end at five in the afternoon, I could sneak to our apartment and grab a few things to help me out later._ Blake grimaced and rubbed the back of her neck. _If I bring weapons, __they're__ just going to strip me of them. __I'm__ guessing it's going to be a twenty to one odds__ unless ShadowLabs had been able to gather more members_ she thought dourly and letting out a loud sigh.

"You all right there miss?" The cab driver glanced at his rearview mirror. "I've been driving around New York for a little over two months so I don't really know my way around and I'm not that good a driver to boot," he shared without feeling the least bit shy. He was big African American man who seemed to be in his late twenties. Blake could not help but grin when the cab driver rubbed his shiny bald crown with his hand. "Since I got no hair, I have to make my head shine like crystal to make up for it!" he joked, returning the grin. "Is there something troubling you? You've had this bleak look on your face since I pulled over and picked you up."

Blake shrugged her shoulders thinking that she had no reason to tell this complete stranger about her problem. He may have been a stranger, but Blake felt that she could ease some of her burden without giving any details by talking this man. "A friend of mine…" she started. "She's in trouble and I have to go help her out, but things are complicated."

"Are you part of the NYPD or something? Maybe a gang? People usually associated to that organization are somewhat usually in that kind of situation and you sure do look like one," The driver asked, noting the strange look his passenger was giving him. "I can tell by the look on your face that you're just playing down the real problem. Tell me, your friend's been kidnapped or something like that?" He slowed the car to a halt at an intersection. "Sorry about that, but I'm known to be quite a deductive person."

"Don't you mean nosy?" Blake retorted with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "And no, I'm not part of the NYPD or any of those other things you stated."

The man raised a hand up in defense and apology before punching the gas upon sighting the stoplight turn green. "I'm sorry for being nosy as you say it," he admitted. "I'd understand what you'd be feeling though if your friend was kidnapped." Blake could see through the rearview mirror how the driver's expression turned grim. "My sister was kidnapped by the rival gang of my previous gang a few years back. I tried to get my gang to help me save her but they wouldn't risk their lives. I got the police to help me, but I was removed from my gang and to top it all off my sister was injured in the crossfire. She's blind on her right eye now."

"Why are you opening up to me? We don't even know each other." Blake looked suspiciously at the cab driver. "I don't even know your name and you're assuming something that might not even true."

The African American smiled ruefully and turned his head to look at Blake with his sloe-black eyes. "I just really have this feeling that I may be right about you. By the way I'm Mike," he introduced himself. "Call it gut feel or something, but I'm mostly right all of the time when I rely on my gut."

Blake let out a huff and closed her eyes. "All right! That gut of yours is right so stop prying already and hush about this! I'm going to do something similar to what you did to save your sister, but in this case no one can know!" She could not help but feel cross at this strange cab driver. Thinking about it more, Blake began to think that having some help prior to going to the oil rig would be beneficial. "Actually I need some information."

"What kind? I might be able to know," Mike replied. "Being in a gang did have its good points," he grinned wolfishly at her.

"Is there a place along Manhattan bay or close to it where I could find a boat?" While she was quiet, Blake had thought about the possible transportation she could use to get to the oil rig. Going by air was fast, but it was going to be easy to spot her if she did use a plane. Besides, she didn't know anyone who owned a plane and she would not know how to fly one anyway. The only other sensible method was to get a boat.

"A boat you say? If that's the case there are several piers along the coast but you'll have to ask one of the pier masters or the boat owners if you could borrow it," Mike informed.

Blake shook her head. "I'm afraid I cannot afford to ask anyone to borrow their boat. Everything that I do has to be in secret because it will do two things," she said, lifting her index finger. "One, if one person so much as finds out that I'm going on a dangerous solo mission, the organization is going to stop me." She then lifted her middle finger to emphasize her second point. "Two, if my enemy finds out then my friend's life will be on the line."

"You could do what gangs do," the cab driver suggested, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"And what is that?" Blake asked warily.

"You could _borrow_ a boat," Mike replied. "If you know what I mean," he added with a wicked grin. "If you pick to borrow the pier master's boats, you could break into their boat houses and search for the keys. If you go for the other boats parked at the pier, you could always use the same method when you're stealing cars." He pointed at ignition wires located near the steering wheel.

Blake thought silently for a few moments. "It's probably better if I just steal one of the other boats," she admitted. "Breaking into the boat houses would cause a ruckus." The familiar gray walls of the Lionheart Organization's building came into view. "Thanks for the information Mike and I'd appreciate it if you keep this to yourself." She dug into her pocket and brought out a couple of thousand dollar bills. "Here take it. Information isn't cheap and it's also to buy your silence."

Mike twisted in his seat to stare at his unusual passenger. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?" He shook his head and took the offered money. "I was actually just half joking when I suggested stealing a boat because I thought you were a joke yourself. Looks like my deduction was wrong this time, but sure, I will stay quiet." He parked the car in front of the building's entrance.

"It might be for the best if you stayed away from me from now on," Blake recommended. "If my organization and my enemy finds out about you then I can't assure you of your life." She got out of the cab and closed the door behind her. "Take care of yourself and your sister," she said with a wave of her hand before heading into the building.

After so many years of practice, Blake schooled her face into her normal serious expression as she strode down the people filled halls of the Lionheart Organization. She could not afford to be found out so she did her best to appear normal as she returned the greetings of the various organization members. Stopping outside of her office door, she took a deep breath before pushing it open.

Kairos looked up from his desk at the unknown intruder. "Blake," he greeted with a gentle smile on his face. "I didn't think that you were coming to work today."

Blake raised an eyebrow at her guardian. "What made you say that? We agreed that we'd go to work today to finish all the paperwork you've been complaining nonstop about." She went to her desk and settled herself on her chair.

"I would have excused you from today's work after what happened last night," Kairos said as he began to work through the stack of papers on his desk. "I knew that Kate had a surprise for you. I told her that you were celebrating your birthday when I rescheduled your celebration and she said she'd come up with something for a gift."

"You had no idea that she was going to do that. Don't blame yourself for it," Blake reminded.

"But Shizuma-"

Blake felt her throat and heart tighten painfully upon hearing the name of her kidnapped lover. Forcing herself to become calmer, Blake moved her chair to her computer and hid her face behind its monitor. "It's alright, Kairos," she managed to let out through her clenched throat. For a moment, she thought she gave herself away because Kairos got out of his seat and walked over to her.

The blonde guardian bent down and carefully gazed into Blake's face. He let out a sigh when his charge gave him a forced and shaky smile. "I was right then," he said. "You weren't able to patch things up properly with Shizuma, weren't you?" Kairos perched himself on the edge of the desk and looked sorrowfully at his charge. "I thought that having you stay over at Shizuma's home and the party last night would have pushed the two of you back together again."

_Thank God! He __didn't__ find out!_ Blake shook her head at Kairos hiding the sheepish smile that would have graced her face if this wasn't the situation. "Look if it makes you feel better, I'm doing my best to get back in her good graces," she assured the older man. _Although __I'm__ technically back in her good graces, but if I don't do anything soon__ my efforts will go down the drain. _

"So you do love her," Kairos pointed out with an annoyed look. "So all this I'm not sure stuff was just you being in denial."

"Shut up already and let's get back to work," the raven-haired woman muttered. "You should be thankful that I decided to admit this to you instead of choosing to tease me about it." Blake eyed her guardian as he walked back to his desk and immersed himself back in his work. Hiding a sad smile on her face, Blake hastily began to write a note to her guardian just in case things didn't go too well for her. She planned to have the courier deliver it to Kairos five days from now. If she did manage to get back in time, she would give the courier a call to tell him to dispose of the letter and forget she ever gave him the task.

"What are you writing there?" Kairos called from his side of the office. "Perhaps it's a letter of apology to Shizuma?" He looked genuinely concerned for his charge and it made Blake hate herself for having to lie to him. Kairos had always cared for her like she his own sister or in some cases he even treated her like she was his daughter. She didn't like it that she was deceiving him and that her next decisions were going to make him intensely worry for her. There were no other choices left open.

"Yeah," Blake lied, looking up from the letter to smile at her guardian. "It's taking me a while to figure out what to say to her because we never really fought or argued back when we were both still on Astraea Hill. I'm sure I'll figure it out," she told Kairos before focusing on the letter. _Hopefully,__ I'll have something figured out to say to Shizuma when I try to rescue her later… if I do see her__… if I'm still alive by that time._

* * *

The apartment was unusually devoid of humanity when Blake snuck into their penthouse through the fire exit. She knew that the repairmen would have been finished at around four in the afternoon so she made her excuses to Kairos then went to their empty apartment alone as the skies quickly darkened. It was extremely easy for her to scale the rusting sets of stairs and ladders that scaled one side of the building. She was after all a fit person, training her body each day for at least two hours with an assortment of weights, exercises and a few rounds of sparring with Kairos. Blake doubted her physical fitness would really help her out when she breaches the oil rig several miles off the coast as she carefully opened a window and eased herself inside.

What she needed from her apartment were a few essential things. She strode towards their fireplace reached for a small box set on top of it. The box looked like something that would hold cigarettes, cigars or even jewelry, which made it serve its hidden purpose of hiding the contents it held within. Kairos had instructed her to use it if things really went wrong especially after what happened to her on the summer trip to the beach with the Astraea hill students five years back. He didn't want to take any more chances so he ordered a stock of several vials of the serum that would eradicate all traces of harmful drugs in Blake's system. Blake took three of the small vials and pocketed them, reminding herself to place it somewhere safe and hidden from sight on her body.

Next, Blake padded into her room and rummaged through her vanity. She knew that going in with a weapon would most probably be useless, but it would be stupid for her to present herself as a weaponless and vulnerable target. Pushing aside a bunch of her clothes, she found what she was looking for. Blake palmed a thin and long object wrapped in thick black cloth and set it on top of the vanity. Going to her closet this time, Blake reached up, took down another box from the high shelf and brought it back to the vanity. For a few moments, Blake stood there bracing her hands against the vanity and staring down at the two items. "I feel like I'm going on a mission naked," she mumbled as she began to unwrap the black cloth from the first object.

A smile formed on her face as she gazed at the simple black sheath of the knife. During her long travels around the world with Kairos before settling down in Japan, she was taught in the ways of knife fighting by a rising German lieutenant in Germany. The soldier had taken a liking to Blake's ever so serious and often frowning face and offered to teach her how to fight with a knife when he spotted her sulking near the training fields of the German army. He had grown so found of her that he gifted her secretly with the knife she held now. It was a standard issue KM2000 combat knife, which had almost seven inches of laser cut blade and four inches of polyamide hilt. It highly resembled the Japanese's tanto blade, whose blade structure has been known to be quite strong. Aside from the knife, the lieutenant was generous enough to also give Blake a leather strap equipped with a sheath that would snuggly wrap around her forearm.

"What's the point of bringing a weapon if you put it somewhere on your body that you can't easily reach?" The German soldier had barked at her when she tried to refuse his other gift. "A weapon is meant to be hidden," he rolled up his sleeve and showed his own knife strapped onto his forearm by the leather. "Either you keep it hidden or you use it to attack" He had always drilled that into her head as he taught her the ways of fighting with a knife.

_I hope I can use what I learned from that German lieutenant__Hopefully__ they won't __notice the knife on my forearm__ and they'__ll just take away this one. _Blake popped the box open, took out a full clip of ammo and loaded the heavy automatic Beretta gun. The gun she held in her hand had sentimental value to her. It was the same gun Kairos wielded to break her out of the first ShadowLabs facility. He had kept it as a reminder of how he could not save his beloved cousin while Blake saw the gun as a sign of revenge. She took two other clips of ammo from the box and slipped it into her back pockets of her pants.

Double-checking on her belongings, Blake concluded that she was ready and went back to the window she used to get in. The skies had become pitch black when she got down safely on the ground. She had planned to take a cab to some unassuming place a mile or two away from the boat docks to seem inconspicuous, but she changed her mind after spotting the 3-car garage owned by the Blackthorn siblings and her. She walked over to the closed garage door, grabbed the handle and pulled it up to reveal Kairos' BMW X5 and a sleek racing motorcycle. She had recently purchased the machine after having saved enough money to purchase a car. Instead of purchasing a car as she had originally planned, she decided to get a motorcycle. Blake marveled at her solid black with silver design Ducati 1098 S sport bike. She remembered how she had come across the Ducati store when she had gotten lost on the way to the car dealer. The bike was on display and it was something like love at first sight. She could not help herself so she bought the bike right there and then to the amusement of the salespeople on duty.

Blake loved the shiny black surface of the bike and felt comforted at the feel of cold hard steel under her hands. Grabbing her helmet and mounting the racing bike, Blake ignited the engines and listened to it roar to life. One thing she loved about her motorcycle was that it could go from 0 to 60 miles in around three seconds. She wasn't surprised with its performance because it boasted a 160 horsepower engine that could bring the rider up to 186 miles per hour. It was truly a powerful machine and Blake did not intend to leave it just anywhere while she is at the oil rig.

A few months earlier, she had befriended an elderly couple who lived near the beach. Blake happened to be riding down the road on her motorcycle when she spotted the husband and wife standing by the side of their smoking car with baffled looks on their faces. Blake had slowed down and offered her help only to find out that the car was in a shape that she couldn't remedy. She ended up calling a tow truck service on her cellphone and accompanied the couple to the nearest repair shop. In the end, Blake was invited over to the couple's beach house to have dinner and she was also promised to be given help by them if she needed it. Blake was truly lucky because she didn't want to lose her motorcycle. If she dropped it off at the elderly couple's house and came up with some explanation, they would gladly take care of it while she was away.

"All this planning seems to be heading for some good, but I know I shouldn't be too cocky when I step foot onto that oil rig," Blake told herself, popping the helmet onto her head and leaning down to grab hold of the handlebars. Twisting the gas hard, Blake thundered out of the garage and onto the street leaving a few surprised streetwalkers in the dust. The feel of the wind buffeting her body as she rode on her motorcycle very much like a professional motorcycle racer made her giddy with delight. Blake speeded down the highway at an easy sixty miles per hour weaving through oncoming cars for around thirty minutes before turning onto the coastal road. Light from a passing car on the opposite lane momentarily blinded Blake as she slowed her bike to a halt on the familiar drive way of her elderly friends.

"Well! I didn't think we'd be getting visitors at this time of the night!" An lanky man with a head mostly of whites and grays stepped off the porch to greet the visitor. "I don't mind having you as a visitor though, dear Blake!" The man turned around and hollered for his wife to come outside. "Maya! Blake's here for a visit!" The old man motioned at Blake with a smile to haul her bike into their garage and watched as his petite wife walk over to Blake to give her a hug.

The old woman clucked her tongue at Blake when the raven-haired woman took off her helmet and returned the hug. "Have you been eating properly? You've lost weight when you're already so thin!" She hooked their arms together and pulled Blake into their modest home. "Before you say anything, you're going to have some cookies and milk with us."

Blake shook her head but kept her smile on her face. The old couple was very endearing despite being a bit pushy. "I'd love to have some cookies but just a few because I have to go somewhere," she admitted as she was made to sit on the living room's couch. Blake chatted with the old man while listening to his wife bustle in their small kitchen.

"So why are you here visiting?" The old man grabbed a cookie from the steaming platter set on the tea table and scooted over on the couch to let his wife sit beside him. "Go drink that glass of milk while you're at it," he ordered.

Blake did as she was told and gulped down the glass of milk that was immediately refilled. "I was wondering if I could leave my bike here for a while," she told the couple, brushing away the cookie crumbs on her chin. "I'm going on a coastal boat trip and I was hoping you could watch my bike for a few days. Once the trip is done, I'll come back and pick it up."

"Kind of late for a boat trip huh?" The old man thought aloud, glancing at the night sky outside. Blake's hands broke out in a sweat thinking that her alibi didn't work. "Must be some kind of special trip then." He broke out in a grin and wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders. "We'll look after your bike while you're away."

The raven-haired woman's shoulder sagged for a few seconds in her relief as she thanked the elderly couple. "I should get going then. The boat's leaving in fifteen minutes," she informed, getting to her feet. "Thanks for the milk and cookies. I'll be back in a few days."

"Enjoy your trip dear!" Maya patted Blake on the cheek before letting her stride out off their home and disappear down the dark road.

_I wish this could be just an ordinary trip like how I explained it to them._ Blake followed the path that would bring her to the nearby boat docks, taking care to blend in with the dark and not be spotted by any people. There were a few high-powered lights set around the docks, but thankfully there weren't any people around. Blake's vision zoomed in on a simple fifteen-foot speedboat and stalked towards it. With a silent apology to the unknown owner, Blake set to work on the ignition wires of the boat. Just as Mike the cab driver told her, the engine came to life just as a car would when started through this method. Blake got behind the steering wheel and eased the boat away from the docks, letting it go a safe distance away from the docks before gunning the engines to full power. Looking up at the skies, Blake cursed loudly as it started to rain. It was both a curse and blessing to her because the enemy would have a harder time spotting her approach from the sea in this kind of weather, but would leave her cold and vulnerable to sickness.

Blake shook out her hair and braced herself as the boat sliced through the waves towards the oil rig that got closer and closer. It didn't take longer than ten minutes when she lowered the speedboat's speed and silently maneuvered the boat underneath the huge oil rig's platform looming above her. She docked the boat along with several other boats on the floating pier before hopping out. "I should have worn something more suitable for this kind of mission," Blake grumbled, looking down at her soaked clothes. She was still wearing the same clothes, black pants, long sleeved white collared shirt with a black vest on top that she wore to the office. She began to check if she had all the things she needed. The vials of serum were in the inner pocket of her pants and the two extra clips of ammo in her back pockets. Her combat knife was hidden safely under the sleeve of her shirt while she held the automatic Beretta gun in her hand.

Blake walked quietly towards the 150-foot ladder that would bring her to the oil rig platform above. Putting the safety on for her gun before slipping it into the waistband of her pants, Blake began the long trek up the metal ladder. The rain continued to pelt her as she climbed higher and higher. When she finally got to the opening, Blake pulled herself up onto the vast platform and cautiously got to her feet. It was pitch black and she could barely what was a few feet away from her. She made out what seemed like a set of large metal doors that would lead into the inner hold and started to walk for them when she was blinded by the sudden flash of the numerous floodlights on the platform turning on.

Blake whipped out her Beretta gun and opened fire as soon as she spotted a man garbed in military gear step out from behind a metal crate and aim his rifle at her. She threw her body aside, sighted her first target and unleashed a barrage of bullets at him. Landing on the ground with a thud, she rolled back up to her feet and ran for the shelter of a metal crate as she continued to fire bullets at the men. Bullets whizzed by her head as she dove behind the metal crate and pressed her back against it. She whipped around the corner of the crate and shot down three more men before taking shelter behind the crate once more. Ejecting the empty clip from her gun and ramming in a fresh clip of ammo, Blake rolled up her sleeve and unsheathed her combat knife. She was down to her last two clips of ammo and she could not afford to waste her bullets. She had to try to kill some of the guards with her knife and other techniques.

The raven-haired woman surveyed her surroundings and found a line of large metal containers that dotted across the platform. It was ideal cover for her and she would be able to sneak around the guards and take them down with little resistance. She made a break for the nearest metal container and let out a breath when the guards didn't seem to notice her. One guard lagged behind from the larger group, making himself a target for Blake. Not a sound came out of his mouth when a hand snaked out from behind him and gripped his jaw. He fell silently against the ground, blood spurting out of his cut throat as Blake dragged his body behind a crate.

The lone operative searched the body of the dead guard and took the man's assault rifle and a hand grenade. One thing she kept from Kairos' numerous lessons about military sieges and operation was to be resourceful. Use your surroundings to your advantage and don't hesitate to use the provisions or weapons of an enemy. Blake peeked around the container she hid behind to see that the guards were sloppily trained. All ten of them stuck to each other like sardines in a can and it gave Blake her next attack. Sneaking closer, Blake silently pulled out the pin of the grenade and rolled it across the floor towards the feet of the guards. She took cover and braced herself as an explosion rocked the platform and scattered bodies around her. Jumping around the container, Blake aimed her stolen assault rifle at the new rush of guards and ruthlessly shot at them. Once the rifle was used up, she discarded it, whipped out her automatic Beretta gun once more, and continued her assault. She dove back behind another nearby metal container, hastily ejected the empty ammo clip and reached behind her back pocket for her last clip of ammo. With a grim smile, Blake reloaded her gun and readied herself for her next assault when she felt a gun's point rest against the back of her head.

"Nice performance out there, but your time is up," her captor drawled, kicking hard at her leg. "Get up!" The man shouted and gave her one last kick before urging her up to her feet. "Start walking." With the gun still held behind Blake's head, he roughly shoved the raven-haired woman out of her hiding place. "Keep your weapons aimed at her, she's good enough to pull off something unexpected," he ordered the remaining men on the platform. When they got to the middle of the platform, he shoved Blake down to her knees mercilessly rammed the butt of his rifle against the side of her head. "That's part of my payback for shooting me back in Japan," he spat out, staring down hard at the woman who struggled to get back to her feet. "I see you still remember me," he leered at the raven-haired woman who glared up at him from the floor. Lightning flashed and illuminated the towering figure of the man letting Blake make out unruly copper hair and familiar dark shades that covered the man's eyes.

"You-" Blake sputtered, coughing out blood as she tried to think past the throbbing pain in her head. She definitely remembered who this man was. He was the one who had ambushed her while she was gathering firewood in the annual summer trip of the Astraea Hill students. She remembered that he was a skilled sniper because he was able to accurately shoot Blake on her thigh and on her shoulder, the same shoulder he shot her at when Kairos helped her escape the ShadowLabs facility ten years back.

"I never introduced myself," he smiled knowingly at her before ruthlessly kicking her down. With Blake lying face down on the rain-soaked floor of the oil rig platform, the man set his foot on the back of Blake's neck and pressed down with enough pressure to make her lose her breath. "No moving now or else I'll break your neck," he ordered his captive. "As for my identity, I am Hunter. Hunter Redfern to be more specific." He hand-signaled to his remaining guards to come forward. "Strip her of her weapons and search her for anything else that can be dangerous to us." He kept his foot at Blake's neck as two of his guards frisked her of her Beretta gun and combat knife. "What's this?" He held up three of the vials of serum one of the guards handed to him. "Might as well keep it."

"Do we kill her, sir?"

Hunter shook his head and pointed at the doors leading inside the hold. "Father specifically ordered that she be taken alive. Besides, what good is a weapon if it's dead?" He stepped back, let two of the men grab each of Blake's arms and hauled her up. "She performed rather gloriously as a weapon. She took down three-quarters of our guard force on her own. It shows that the way we programmed and wrote her DNA sequence is actually working even if they're only insignificant results." He led the group towards the large metal doors and waited as two men pushed it open. "Bring her to the inner hold where the laboratory and the holding cells are. Father should be waiting there."

Blake tried to struggle against the two guards who half-dragged and half-carried her, but could not. She had taken quite a bashing to her head and it was hindering her from both seeing properly and moving her body. "Where is she?" she managed to let out in a strangled voice.

Hunter slowed down to walk by the guards who held heir captive. "You mean the platinum-haired beauty? She's down below, but don't you worry we'll be there in a few moments." He picked up his pace and went back to leading the group down a long ramp then down a long corridor. With a quick look into an optical scanner, the copper-haired man led the group through a double set of metal doors and ordered the men to drop their captive onto the floor. "Father, we have her. You were right that she would come if we took the platinum-haired beauty from her home."

A withering man with balding copper hair and thick-framed glasses swung his swivel chair around to regard the group of men and a slightly beaten Blake. "What happened to the twenty-man squad?" he frowned as he counted four remaining men garbed in combat gear.

"She disposed of them, father," Hunter replied with interest in his voice. "I thought that our numbers would overwhelm her, but she was able to dispose sixteen of the men before I finally snuck up on her." He grinned and aimed a hard kick at the raven-haired woman's stomach who stifled a shout of pain. "I'm impressed with all the things she picked up after she escaped from the facility."

Doctor Redfern pushed himself off his chair and walked sedately towards the befallen woman. He squatted down and grabbed a handful of black hair in his hand and forced the woman to look up into his face. "Well, well," he started with an evil smile on his face. "We finally meet again twenty hundred eighteen. I'm sure you still remember that that number was your test subject identification code." He let go of Blake's hair and got back to his feet. "I must say, I didn't expect you to be capable of feelings after all the things you went through back in our old facility. We were really bringing you up to be an emotionless killer, but that blasted female doctor got in the way." He walked back to his chair and sat on it. "Your development of feelings isn't such a bad thing anyway. If you didn't have your feelings, you wouldn't have played so easily into our trap."

"Where is she?" Blake asked once more, gritting her teeth as another kick connected with her stomach. "Tell me where she is!" she shouted, this time biting hard on her lip when Hunter kicked at her ribs. "Damn it! She better be alright!"

Doctor Redfern chuckled as he leaned back against his chair and crossed his legs. "This is really amusing," he exclaimed. "The woman is alright… for now." He pressed a button on a nearby computer and spoke into a speaker. "Open the holding cell door, but keep the bars down." The aging doctor then pointed to the far side of the room as five-foot wide metal doors slowly rose up to ceiling to reveal a familiar platinum-haired woman cowering at the corner of her cell. "Good evening miss!" Redfern called. "You've got a visitor." He began to laugh as he watched the amber-eyed woman scramble out of her corner to grip at the cell bars.

"Blake!" Shizuma shouted as she watched her lover be continuously kicked at by the same copper-haired man who had abducted her from her home soon after Blake left with Ryu. "Stop hurting her!" she cried out in anguish.

"Hunter," Doctor Redfern tiredly ordered. "Cease your beatings for we still have to conduct an experiment on 22,018 by tonight." He pushed his chair towards his workstation and grabbed a tray filled with syringes both empty and full. "Fill three of these empty syringes with her blood. We need to conduct an analysis of her blood and DNA."

"What do we do next?" Hunter inquired, this time resting his foot heavily on the small of Blake's back. He was feeling a bit disappointed that his father merely wanted to get some blood samples from their captive.

The doctor shrugged his shoulders as he pushed a button on the wall that made another door slide open. "I'll leave you to do whatever you wish to do with 22,018. Make sure she isn't dead when I come to look at her tomorrow morning." He stepped through the door and let it shut behind him.

Hunter grinned and ordered two of the guards to take the three syringes from his father's workstation. "I'm going to have a lot of fun with you tonight," he told the raven-haired woman through a forced smile. "I'm going to play out the scheme I've been playing over and over in my head. Hand me that first syringe," he ordered, grabbing the offered piece of equipment. The younger Redfern grabbed Blake's hair, raised her head up and stabbed the needle into the woman's neck.

"Sir! She'll bleed dry if you extract blood from her in that area!" One of the guards informed his superior nervously.

The copper-haired man looked up at his subordinate with a cold glare. "As long as I'm in charge, we'll do as I please! Now hand me those other two syringes!" He carelessly gathered the remaining blood samples from Blake before getting back up onto his feet. "Put those aside and help me out."

The other guards looked warily at their superior and at the groaning woman at on the floor. "How can we assist you sir?"

Hunter smiled and settled himself in his father's chair. "Beat her. Make sure that there's not an inch of her untouched and give the beauty in that cell a show she won't forget." He laughed upon seeing the horrified look on Shizuma's face as she gripped harder at the cell bars.

"Blake!" she cried out.

"Stay there and keep quiet Shizuma!" Blake choked out, looking up and directing a small smile at the other woman. "I don't care what they do to me as long as you're unharmed." Blake yelped out in pain as the remaining four men of the squad surrounded her and began to deliver painful blows via punches and kicks at her battered body. Blake shielded her head with her arms and managed to protect her head from the worse blows, but let out a cry as she felt pain shoot up from her ribs. _Damn…__ I think they broke one of my ribs. _Blake continued to endure the beating until a sharp kick to her head finally knocked her out.

"She passed out boss," one of the guards informed as they all backed off from the motionless form of the woman. "Do we continue beating her?"

Hunter shook his head and let out a yawn. "It's no fun to beat an unconscious person. Leave her for tonight. Put her in the other cell," he ordered his men, before going through the same door his father passed through a few moments earlier.

The four guards each took hold of one of the unconscious woman's limbs and carried her towards the cell beside the one Shizuma occupied. They threw the injured and comatose woman into the cell, locked it then stalked out of the laboratory through another door. They didn't bother to watch the platinum-haired woman reach vainly through the bars that separated their cells from one another. Try as she might, the amber-eyed woman won't be able to do anything to help 22,018 and if things went well, they would dispose of her as soon as they break Blake.

* * *

Shizuma swiped at her tearing eyes as she continued to try to grab hold of Blake's outstretched hand through the cell bars. Hours had passed since the men had beaten Blake to her unconscious state and Shizuma was guessing that it was around three in the morning. She had vainly tried to wake her fallen lover so that she could at least try to treat her injuries, but was unsuccessful. The thorough beating had really knocked Blake out. If she could only touch Blake's hand! Even if it wouldn't do anything, it would at least give her some ease. Shizuma snapped her hand back when she heard the familiar hiss of the doors slide open. "Who's there?"

A young boy with unruly hair as black as Blake's own hair stepped out of the darkness. A German Shepherd walked beside him as he made his way towards Blake's cell. Stepping towards the coded lock of the cell, he punched in a code and waited as the cell door opened and admitted him inside. The large dog sat outside as its master got to his knees and rolled the comatose Blake onto her back.

"What are you doing?" Shizuma shouted through the cell bars. "She's had enough of a beating!"

The young man turned his head and locked his crimson eyes with the amber orbs that glared at him from the other cell. "Forgive me, but I have no intention of giving her another beating." He set a large box on the floor beside Blake and opened it. "I'm going to check her injuries and try to fix whatever I can treat." He began to gently prod at the older woman's body. "No broken bones on her legs or arms," he said aloud, taking Blake's head in his hands and observing it. "A medium-sized gash on the side of her head and a possible concussion," he added then sat back on the floor. "Did you see where else they hit her?"

Shizuma stared at the young man in complete perplexity. She wondered who this young man was and why he was helping Blake out. "She was kicked several times in her abdomen area," Shizuma replied and worriedly looked on as the dark-haired man carefully removed Blake's vest and began to unbutton Blake's dirtied and ripped polo shirt. "Hey! You shouldn't be doing that!"

The young man raised both of his hands away from Blake's body. "I'm sorry. I know I'm a man, but I won't be able to check if she has any other injuries if I don't do this. Believe me, I have no intention of doing anything to her." With a stiff nod from the platinum-haired woman, he finished unbuttoning Blake's shirt and looked carefully at the exposed skin of the woman's abdomen. He immediately noticed the ugly swelling and large bruise on the lower ribs of the raven-haired woman. "It doesn't look like any of her ribs are broken, but I can conclude that she probably cracked a rib or two from what I see." He took out a tube of ointment from inside the box and put a dollop of it in his hands.

"Who are you?" Shizuma asked, watching the crimson-eyed man gently apply to ointment in surprise. She was wondering why such a gentle person was with the same organization that had tortured Blake in the past.

The young man looked up and smiled ruefully at Shizuma. "I'm just another test subject just like her," he buttoned up the shirt of Blake and began to treat her other wounds. "I go by the identification number 54,601, but some of the nicer guards nicknamed me Leon."

_With that kind of hair, I __wouldn't__ be surprised that the guards named you that because you look like a rumpled lion. _Shizuma continued to stare at the young man. "You're a test subject? How come you don't look battered?"

Leon shook his head. "Unlike the stories I've heard of Blake when she was still being experimented on, I was a more sedate and obedient test subject. I submitted to all their experiments without causing any trouble. I figured that even if I struggled, they'd just make things worse for me so I went all submissive. Things went well anyway particularly with the way they treated me. For one thing, they allow me roam the premises of this oil rig and they pretty much let me get away with everything."

"And will they let you get away with this?" Shizuma gestured at the Leon's treatment of Blake's injuries. She spotted the younger man's crimson eyes darken.

"They could beat me if they like, but Blake here is the closest person I have to family." He began to pack the first-aid box and whistled to his dog. "Fang come on!" He walked out of the cell, placed the box on the floor then went back in. To Shizuma's surprise, Leon gently carried Blake and set her down beside the bars that separated Shizuma and Blake's cells. He got back up to his feet and smiled at the platinum-haired woman who reached through the bars to smooth away the hair on Blake's face. He left the two women alone, whistling softly to his dog to follow him out of the laboratory.

Shizuma caressed Blake's cheeks as she was once again overcome with tears. "Blake," she whispered softly as her tears fell onto the cold floor of her cell. "Please open your eyes. Just do or say something that will give me a sign that you're alright." She bowed her head and began to sob loudly until she felt something wrap around her hand. "Blake?"

The raven-haired woman cracked her eyes open and turned her head slightly to look at her lover. She weakly tightened her hold on Shizuma's hand and attempted to smile at her only to wince in pain. "Did they do anything to you?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

Shizuma shook her head and wiped her tears away. "Hunter knocked me out as soon as I opened my door to check who was knocking. When I came to, I was in a boat heading to this place. They simply locked me up in this cell until you came." She laced their fingers together and brought it up to her lips. "You must have been really angry when you found out that I was gone from my apartment. I noticed that there were only four men from the twenty or so men I counted when I got to this oil rig. What happened to them? Did you knock them out before you got captured?"

Blake slightly shook her head. "Might be better to say that I killed them."

"Killed?"

"I was angry and I didn't have the luxury of knocking all of them out. I thought that the quickest way to rescue you was to dispose of any person who got in my way, but then I did not reckon that Hunter and his father were behind this whole thing." She groaned and carefully sat up. "Why's my vest on the floor?"

"Oh about that," Shizuma began. "Blake there's this boy. He looks about fifteen or sixteen and he came into your cell to treat your injuries. I asked him who he was and why he was helping you," she explained. "He said he was another of ShadowLabs test subjects and he even told me what his identification code was. He goes by the number 54,601, but he says the guards nicknamed him Leon. About helping you, he told me that he was doing it because you were the closest thing to family."

"Wish I was awake to see him. I would have wanted to get to know him more," Blake admitted, pressing the base of her palm against her forehead. "I have to think of a way to break us out of here. For now, you should get some sleep." She looked worriedly at Shizuma through the cell bars and reached through them to lean a hand affectionately against Shizuma's tear-stained cheek. "I'll protect you so please stop crying." She gave her lover one last assuring smile before lying down on the cold hard floor to get some sleep. Blake could only hope that she'd dream of a way to escape from this hell.

* * *

The next day's experiments started past noontime thanks to the remaining ShadowLabs members oversleeping and preparation for the next set of experiments. Blake was leaning against the far wall of her cell when Doctor Redfern, Hunter and the two of the guards marched into the room. The raven-haired woman scowled as the two guards approached her cell and opened it.

"Good morning 22,018," the doctor greeted tonelessly. "Do us a favor and walk out of your cell not unless you want the guards to _help _you out." He and his sons traded smirks as the raven-haired woman hesitated for a few seconds before getting on her feet and stepping out of her cell. "A bit submissive today, aren't we? You two chain her against the wall by my workstation!" he ordered the two guards who led a silent Blake towards the wall. The restraining device on the wall was highly reminiscent of those you'd see in a medieval dungeon. Two chains with shackles on each end hung from the wall while two more chains with similar shackles lay attached to the floor. The only thing that made it different from the medieval devices was that it was several thousands of years more high tech. The chains and shackles were made of titanium steel while the locks on the shackles that encased the whole forearm and calf were digitalized.

"Breaking her was easy enough," Hunter told his father of his exploits the previous night. "Beating her must have made her realize that she should just go along with our experiments or else something will happen to that woman." He helped his father ready their machines, equipment and drugs. Seeing that Blake's arms and legs were secured by the titanium shackles, he followed his father to meet with the silent raven-haired woman.

"Since you've been very cooperative this afternoon, I'll take this opportunity to explain to you what we're going to conduct this day," the aging doctor informed their experiment. "After analyzing your blood samples, we've found out that your killer or weapon DNA code has developed to half of what we've been expecting. Your performance from the other night gave enough of proof otherwise." He put his hand in his coat pocket and took out a vial of some unknown liquid. "We were quite lucky. I came across this treasure while I was searching through the remains of our old facility. One of our scientists who defected to the other side actually developed the drug that would trigger your DNA code to fully develop and give you your killer and weapon characteristics. He hid the vial from us when he found our cause evil and thought he brought the knowledge of his creation to the grave, but he was wrong." He handed the vial to his son and waited as the younger Redfern put the liquid in a syringe. "Rather than continue our fumbling and torturous methods, we're simply going to trust this drug and see what happens to you."

"Shall I do the honors, father?" Hunter stepped beside his father with the syringe poised and ready in his hand.

The doctor nodded and stepped away to let his son inject the serum into Blake's neck. "Changes should happen instantaneously according to the notes of Doctor Skylar. He said that when he tested it on a sample of tissue from one of our experimental organisms, the cells reacted violently. The DNA structure also significantly changed after the cells stabilized."

"Her body is starting to spasm," Hunter pointed out as Blake's body started to struggle against the restraints. They both watched as the raven-haired woman threw her head back against the wall as her body struggled to contort. For a few minutes, the woman was able to hold back her shouts and moans of pain but finally gave out as her body started to spasm more uncontrollably. Blake unconsciously pulled hard against her titanium shackles, clenching her fists so hard that her knuckles were deathly white. Finally, the shooting pains inside her body subsided and she finally sagged letting her restraints keep her up.

"Now all we need to do is provoke her. Skylar theorized that simply provoking the recipient of the serum would trigger his killer and weapon instincts," the doctor informed and looked at the heavily breathing Blake. "Hunter, hit her."

"Father?"

"You heard what I said. Skylar's notes said that provoking would trigger 22,018's killer instincts." He frowned at his son who hesitated at the order. "Do it! You didn't hesitate to beat her last night when I allowed you to do whatever you want with her."

Hunter stepped forward and backhanded Blake viciously, splitting the raven-haired woman's lip. He raised a questioning eyebrow when the woman simply stared at him with her piercing storm gray eyes. "Not working," he told his father.

"Then do something worse!" the doctor barked harshly.

The younger Redfern scowled at his father before delivering another backhand at Blake and adding two hard kicks at Blake's stomach. Aside from Blake coughing up blood and doubling over in her pain, she did nothing else but stare at the father and son. "Are you sure provoking her is going to trigger the change?" he demanded from his father.

"Skylar's notes are accurate! He should be right! Beat her more thoroughly! Get those two to help you out!" he pointed at the two guards who stood by the door. "Insult her too while you're at it! Physical means may not necessarily trigger the change."

Hunter beckoned the two guards to come closer and began another version of the thorough beating they gave Blake the other night. Before long, the raven-haired woman was both bloodied and bruised from head to toe. The cut on the side of her head was bleeding profusely once more while the blood from her mouth dripped down onto her shirt. Hunter had used up his store of insults and was getting frustrated at both Blake and his father.

"Stop hurting her! Can't you see that nothing is working! Just give up!"

Doctor Redfern and his son turned their heads to regard the platinum-haired woman who watched them from her cell. Hunter looked thoughtfully at Shizuma then at the thoroughly beaten Blake. "Perhaps the provoking we're thinking of is wrong."

"Care to enlighten us, Hunter?" The doctor pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Skylar never specified that we needed to directly provoke the test subject," Hunter deduced. "Perhaps we should use some indirect methods to provoke 22,018." He snapped his fingers and pointed at the platinum-haired woman in the cell. "Get her out of her cell," he ordered the guards, watching the two men open the cell and drag the scared woman towards them.

"No…" Blake choked out. "Do whatever you want with me, but don't hurt her."

"We've tried everything with you, but we're not getting the results we want," Hunter spat out and grinned maniacally at the struggling Shizuma. "Well boys, I bet it was your first time to hit a woman. Care to go for a second round, but this time you could try beating her."

"No!" Blake shouted and began to pull against her restraints. "Don't touch her!"

Hunter and his father stepped away from in front of Blake to let her have a good view of what was about to happen. "Go on boys!" Hunter shouted and watched in interest as the two guards first looked at one another doubtfully at what they were asked to do. Hunter growled and banged his fist against the wall. "That wasn't a request!" he shouted.

Any hesitation seen in the two guards completely vanished when they heard their employer shout his command. They did not fear Doctor Redfern. It was his son that they feared the most. One guard roughly grabbed Shizuma around the wrist and threw the woman against the wall, which elicited a scream from their victim. Keeping the woman pinned against the wall, the guard suddenly let out a shout of pain when the platinum-haired woman before him kicked him hard at his shins. "Bitch!" he growled and backhanded Shizuma's face viciously as his partner walked up from behind and looked over his shoulder.

This time, Shizuma set her foot on the guard's chest, kicked out making the man stumble back, and sprawl onto the floor. The amber-eyed woman tried to make her escape, but suddenly felt a hand grab onto her neck and slam her hard against the wall. Her sight darkened slightly as she weakly struggled against the neck hold of the other guard.

"I do like fiery women," the man told his friend who was nursing his kicked chest. "Perhaps when this is all over, boss would give this woman to us as a gift." He directed a grin at the two Redfern and with his hand reached for Shizuma's chest.

Hunter felt a smile form on his face as he watched the spectacle before him. He would have wanted to join in, but he thought that since Shizuma was just an ordinary woman his two guards would be able to stage the beating without his help. His eyes were glued at the scene before him until he heard the sound of metal cracking then snapping. The copper-haired man and his father snapped their heads to the side and stared in shock as the once sedate 22,018 was now pulling hard on the remaining three chains that kept her restrained. _By the gods!__ She was able break the titanium chains! _Hunter watched in fear and awe as the raven-haired woman pulled even harder on the chains and managed to snap the chains attached to the shackles on her calves. _What the hell?__ How can she be this strong? __Her eyes!__They'__re__ blazing silver!_ Hunter grabbed his handgun from his coat pocket and aimed it at the furious raven-haired woman just as the final chain snapped off. "Shit! Get the tranquilizer father!" He strode towards Blake and started to pull on the trigger when he felt something whip across his face, breaking his nose and shattering his cheekbone. He staggered back realizing that Blake had used the chain still attached to her forearm as a whip to strike at his face.

The bright silver-eyed Blake walked across the floor towards the two guards who continued to their business with their victim, seemingly not noticing what was happening. The guard who was at his partner's back watching whipped around when he heard the ominous growl from behind him. His eyes widened in fear seeing that the once securely restrained 22,018 had broken free and was striding towards them with a maniacal grin on her face. He tried to make a run for it, but couldn't as the silver glowing –eyed Blake seemingly appeared in front of him. He couldn't tell what happened next because he was dead in the next few seconds. Blake had inhumanly snapped a kick at the man's abdomen and sent him flying backward to slam into the wall a few feet away from Shizuma and the other guard. Not relenting her attack, the angered woman strode forward and this time rammed her elbow into the man's sternum, which brought forth a series of dull snaps and bone crunching. Despite killing the guard and violently breaking the dead man's sternum and rib cage, Blake continued her rampage by hopping onto the corpse's fallen body on the floor and delivered frenzied punches to the man's face. Each time she connected, the flesh of the man gave way and began to split away from the skull. Blood spattered onto Blake's face and clothes while the Redferns, the remaining guard and Shizuma looked on in fear and astonishment.

Satisfied with the killing and the extra activity, a still grinning and glowing eyed Blake got to her feet and slowly turned to face the remaining guard. Quick as lightning, she moved forward and let a roundhouse kick connect to the head of the guard. The remaining soldier staggered back from the blow, spitting out blood and broken off teeth as he struggled to get away from this mad woman. Remembering that he had a handgun in his pocket, he whipped it out and began to fire at Blake. His eyes widened in awe and absolute fear as he watched the woman before him seemingly dodge almost all his bullets. One bullet managed to scrape the skin of Blake's cheek, but nothing else landed on his target. Dropping his gun he turned around to run, but halted in his tracks after almost bumping into the mad woman again who seemed like she had just jumped through space to get there with such inhuman speed.

Blake's eyes continued to glow a eerie silver as she gave a frenzied grin before grabbing the man's head in her hands. The remaining guard started to give off a shrill scream as the woman's hands started to crush his skull. He wondered how could a human possess such strength as he felt his life slip away. Blake felt the hard bone beneath her fingers give way and crack, making her grin once more as she hastily hurried along the process and completely disfigured the man's head in her hands. Blood pooled on the floor beneath from the bloodied mess she held. Tossing the dead man aside, Blake turned around to dispose of Hunter and his father. She took a step back when she felt something thud into her chest and let out an angry roar when she saw the familiar feathered round of a tranquilizer bullet.

"Stay where you are!" Hunter shouted as he and his father backed away until the wall hindered them from going any further. He frantically continued to shoot the feathered rounds at the furious Blake, but soon started to fear for his life when the raven-haired woman continued her advance. Just as he thought 22,018 was going to kill them, the woman's knees suddenly gave out beneath her and she fell to the floor. Hunter let out a sigh of relief as he peeked cautiously at the downed Blake and concluded that he had successfully tranquilized her. He took out his walkie-talkie from his pocket and radioed the remaining two guards to come to the laboratory. "Come here immediately!" he barked. He looked at his father and observed that the elderly man had gotten quite a scare from the recent turn of events. "Are these the results you wanted?"

The doctor nodded his head and watched as their two remaining guards rushed into the room. "You two put 22,018 into her cell then put the woman back in her cell. Don't bother any of them for the rest of the day. We will continue our experiments tomorrow morning." He motioned at his son with his hand and they both made their way out of the lab whispering harshly at each other.

The guards hauled the tranquilized Blake back into her cell then went to bring the shocked Shizuma back into her cell. They both feared for their lives after seeing their fallen comrades sprawled on the laboratory floor in a bloodied heap and had no intention of staying any longer in the vicinity. As soon as they left the silently crying platinum-haired woman in her cell, the two guards ran out of the room hoping that they would not catch the monster that disposed so violently and easily of their comrades.

* * *

It was four in the morning when Leon and his faithful dog trudged into the dark and empty laboratory and holding cells. He had heard from the remaining guards that Hunter and his father were successful in triggering the change in Blake's DNA code, but had almost lost their lives in the fierce anger displayed by the raven-haired woman they called 22,018. He frowned upon seeing the clothes of Shizuma strewn across the floor of the room. He gathered the clothes, walked over to the cell of the platinum-haired woman and opened it. "Shizuma? Please, stop crying," he told the woman who sat against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest. "I'm getting you and Blake out of here."

"Leon is it?"

The crimson-eyed man looked at the adjacent cell and saw the raven-haired woman push herself up to her knees. "That's my name."

"Are you serious of helping me and Shizuma escape?" She looked at the dark-haired boy with her piercing storm-gray eyes.

Leon nodded. "Now's the best time to escape. Redfern's guard force is depleted and the father and son are too rattled to do anything tonight after what you've done. I believe that what they did to Shizuma has gone too far that's why I'm going to help you escape." He dragged Shizuma to her feet and dragged her out of her opened cell. "The guards are cowering in their quarters so it'll be easy to get the two of you to the docks down below," he informed Blake as he hurriedly punched in the opening code to the lock Blake's cell.

Blake forced herself to her feet and groggily made her way out of her cell only to stumble into the waiting arms of Leon. "Shit. I can hardly walk. I've got too much drugs in my blood stream," she mumbled, letting the young man put her arm around his shoulders and grabbed hold of Shizuma's hand with his free hand.

"It's alright. I could help you out and despite Shizuma seeming really out of it, she could walk and be led along." He helped Blake out of the laboratory and pulled Shizuma along as he led them down a new corridor and into an elevator. "This elevator will take us directly down to the boat docks. I want the two of you to escape now because I also overhead Redfern radioing reinforcements. Escaping would have been impossible." The elevator doors slid open and the familiar salty tang of the ocean filled their noses. "That's your boat right?" Leon pointed at the speedboat Blake stole. "Could you drive it in your condition?" he asked, helping the two women into the boat.

"I'll manage. Won't you escape with us?"

Leon shook his head. "I'd love to escape with you, but Redfern has a tracking device on me. If I were to escape with you, they'd be able to capture both you and me."

"The Lionheart Organization will protect you as they have protected me," Blake pointed out.

"It's alright. It's better this way… get going before they notice that the two of you are missing!" He stood back and watched as Blake started the engines and sped away. "I wish you the best… big sister."

* * *

Blake struggled to stay awake as she steered the speedboat. She had no bearings and wished that she was the leading the boat back to land. Shizuma was still silent and Blake was starting to feel the familiar burning and painful sensation in her veins. The sun was starting to rise on the horizon when she finally spotted a deserted beach. Keeping the boat running, she gathered Shizuma in her arms and jumped into the freezing waters of the ocean. If Redfern searched for them, he would easily spot the speedboat if she decided to dock it on the deserted beach. Better to lead him to a wrong place by letting him follow the speedboat.

The cold biting into her wasn't doing Blake any good as she swam towards the shore. After five minutes of swimming with Shizuma, Blake finally felt her feet touch the bottom and proceeded to walk towards the beach. Exhausted, Blake lay a conscious but frozen Shizuma on the sand before dropping face first on the sand a few feet away. The pain she was feeling was so intense that she thought she was going to either pass out or die already.

The sun was slowly rising in the direction she was facing. Opening her eyes, she squinted in vain seeing a pair of legs walking towards her. Blake looked up slightly only to narrow her eyes at the sudden brightness of the sun, but managed to make out the silhouette of an approaching person before falling into oblivion.

* * *


	21. Let Me Help You Forget

**A word of warning to the readers.**

**This chapter is also rated M for sexual scenes.**

**This is also a revised chapter.**

* * *

_Chapter 21:__ Let Me __Help You Forget_

She found herself falling deeper and deeper into a seemingly endless abyss when she opened her eyes. She couldn't move her body and as she looked around, Blake saw what seemed like a flashback of the recent events at the abandoned oil rig turned based of ShadowLabs. Bright flashes of white segregated the various memories in a chronological manner. She watched everything from when she first breached the oil rig and killed more than fifteen men, her eventual capture by Hunter Redfern, the first beating she received by Hunter and the remaining guards and her short reunion with Shizuma.

_Shizuma…_ the name came out of her lips without any sound as she continued to plummet into the darkness. Another flash, but this time the color of crimson red blinded Blake shortly before showing her the last string of events that happened in the oil rig. A piercing scream echoed from within the unconscious mind of Blake as she watched the platinum-haired beauty be assaulted by two of the guards. For a while, Blake struggled with her paralyzed body just as her own self in the memory struggled against the restraints. Contrary to what really happened, somehow the memory became distorted as Shizuma continued to scream and disappear under the bodies of an increased number of men who threw punches and kicks at their victim. _No! __Shizuma…__SHIZUMA!_

"Shizuma!" Blake shouted, bolting up on the bed she was lying on in a cold sweat. The raven-haired woman held her head with trembling hands as she forced herself to breathe deeply. "A dream… it was just a dream. At least part of it was." She flinched as a sharp pain shot through her chest and grabbed at her aching side to feel fabric wrapped around her chest. "Damn…" Blake cursed, struggling to fill her lungs and at the same time ignore the flashes of intense pain each time she took a breath. Looking at her surroundings, she noticed that she was in a small, furnished room with a few windows and a glass door that opened to the beach. It was already late afternoon as far as could tell just by looking at the skies outside. "Where am I?"

"You're at my home," A woman's voice replied as the door to the room opened and admitted the visitor. She was a woman who looked to be in her late forties or early fifties and had long ebony brown hair and burgundy colored eyes. "I spotted you and your friend coming onto the shore from my house. You might recall seeing me or at least part of me while I was walking towards you."

Blake nodded her head and looked carefully at her savior. "Did you do this too?" she indicated the bandages around the inflicted area of her ribs and the other parts of her body. She could not help but be wary of this stranger after what she had gone through.

The woman nodded and perched herself on the edge of Blake's bed. "I'm a doctor or at least I was until last week," she explained, silently asking her patient's permission to conduct an examination. "I turned my clinic over to one of my interns, but I have a small clinic here in my house which has proven to be quite useful during the summer season." She gently prodded Blake's rib cage then tilted her patient's head to the side to get a better look at the healing gash situated in that area. "You've got a fractured rib, a sprained right wrist, this gash on the side of your head, and bruises that I lost count of all over your body," the retired doctor enumerated. "I also checked if you had any internal injuries, but nothing came out from my tests."

"What about Shizuma?" Blake asked, throwing off her blankets and gently moving her legs to the side of the bed. She was in pain, but she needed to see her lover.

The doctor placed a hand on Blake's shoulder and kept her from getting up. "You shouldn't strain yourself at least until tomorrow morning," she informed the gray-eyed woman firmly. "Your friend isn't injured. Her body was a bit chilled from your swim, but she isn't physically harmed."

"But?"

"She has a mild case of trauma. She hasn't spoken a word since I brought the two of you into my home nor she has eaten or moved from her bed," the doctor replied with a sad smile. "Whatever it is the two of you went through prior to picking you up on the beach must have been too much for her to handle." She got to her feet and pushed Blake onto her back. "I'll see what I can do with her, but for now I want you to rest. I have asked my intern to come over tomorrow morning to assist me in finishing your treatment," she told Blake, tucking the blanket around her form. Before she left, she smoothed Blake's tussled hair and rested her hand on her forehead. "Just holler if you need anything." The door silently closed behind her, leaving Blake to contemplate alone.

Blake frowned and began to rub her tired eyes. She wasn't concerned at all about her well-being but she was more worried about Shizuma. It wasn't surprising that she was acting this way after being sexually assaulted by two men in front of her and the Redferns. There was a heavy feeling inside of her as she thought back on how she wasn't quick enough to prevent it from happening. "Fucking Redfern!" Blake cursed to the ceiling. "He's a freaking maniac for suggesting to have Shizuma beaten so that I could give them the results they were expecting." But then again, she could not help but feel that she was ultimately the person who was at fault. _I have to go to her as soon as I wake up tomorrow morning. I have to… apologize and do something. _She slowly turned on her side and closed her eyes. _One thing is for sure. __I'm__ going to do everything in my power to kill those bastards and I'll make sure that every remnant of that blasted organization goes to hell._

* * *

The next morning, Blake awoke to the sound of crashing waves and the distant squawks of seagulls. She gingerly sat up and got to her feet, checking if there was any pain from moving her body. Seeing that she was all right, the raven-haired woman spotted folded clothes on a nearby chair with a note on top of it from the doctor. The note stated that she was lending Blake some of her own clothes and that she could use the bathroom down the hall while she was out attending to some business. Blake collected the clothes, got out of the room and padded down the hallway and into the bathroom. It took her a while to shower because whenever she'd raise her arms, her injured rib would give her pain. Once she was dressed in the simple white t-shirt and loose black cloth pants lent to her, Blake made her way to the room beside hers. Stopping before the closed door, she took a deep breath before pushing it open. The mere sight of the sleeping woman made Blake's heart wrench painfully.

Shizuma was curled up in a tight ball on the bed, her arms tight against her chest and her undone hair splaying around her. Blake could hear her taking in ragged breaths and noticed the labored rising and falling of her chest. The thing that made Blake's heart wrench even more painfully were the tracks of dried tears on the sleeping platinum-haired woman's face. She also noted the slightly bruised cheek and neck of Shizuma, which she got from the men's beating the other day.

Blake padded softly across the room, pulled up a chair and sat at Shizuma's side. With a gentle finger, she traced one dried track of tears on her lover's cheek. Her eyes caught the dampness of Shizuma's pillow, making Blake close her eyes and grit her teeth. "I'm so sorry… Shizuma," she whispered, caressing the sleeping woman's cheek. "It's all my fault. This would have never happened if it were not for me." Blake gripped her wild emotions before getting to her feet and leaving the room. If she stayed any longer, she wasn't sure if she could keep herself from breaking down because of her guilt.

Stepping into the main room of the cozy beach house, Blake scanned the quaint furniture and decorations around her. She knew now that there were three bedrooms in the house, a bathroom, living room and kitchen. The house and the location spoke for itself that the doctor must have earned a great deal to be able to purchase such a place. She walked over to the couch and was about to sit when she spotted a bunch of pictures frames set on a nearby table. Curiosity got the better of her and she went over to look at the pictures. She easily recognized the doctor in the first few picture frames. The doctor she saw in those pictures was much younger. In one picture, the young doctor was dressed in scrubs and posing with balding children. Another picture showed the doctor with other scrubs-dressed people posing what looked liked to be the lobby of a hospital. A few other pictures showed a casually dressed doctor with people Blake assumed to be either her friends or family. As she got to the end of the table, one dusty picture frame caught her eye. Frowning, Blake picked it up and with her hand scrubbed the dust away only to stare at person who held the doctor in his arms in the picture. She was absolutely shocked. If the man had narrower shoulders, a woman's chest and a clean-shaven face, Blake could have mistaken the man as her own self. Looking more closely at the picture, she became even more shocked to see that man not only had the same sable-black hair as she had, but he also had Blake's storm-gray eyes.

"I was shocked myself when I saved you on the beach. You looked exactly like him."

Blake glanced over her shoulder and saw the doctor standing at the front door with two paper bags filled with groceries. She had not heard the older woman come in at all. "Forgive me," she told the doctor, setting the picture frame down on the table. "It was rude of me."

The doctor walked to the kitchen table and set her burden on it. "It's alright. I haven't introduced myself yet, haven't I?" She grabbed two mugs and filled them with coffee from a steaming pot set on the tiled kitchen counter. "I'm Raine Skylar. You are?" She put the one filled mug on the table and sat on its other side.

"I'm Blake Saberhart," Blake introduced herself as she sat on the table and grasped the steaming mug of coffee.

"You had a surprised look on your face," Raine pointed out. "Is there something familiar with my name?" she asked the raven-haired woman who sat adjacent to her.

_Skylar's__ notes are accurate! He should be right! Beat her more thoroughly! Get those two to help you __out_

Blake's eyes widened when she finally realized why the name sounded familiar. "Skylar… it's a name I heard of prior to ending up here in your care. From what I can guess, the man who mentioned his name could have meant that this Skylar was a scientist at-"

"ShadowLabs," Raine finished softly, gripping her mug of coffee tightly.

The raven-haired woman gaped at the retired doctor before her. "You know who they are?" she demanded. She could not believe it. Here she was sitting in front of a woman who could very well be an associate of those ShadowLabs scum.

"I should know them very well. The Skylar you mentioned was indeed a scientist at that organization," she replied, sadness filling her burgundy colored eyes. "But even before he became a part of that organization, he became my husband first." She eyed the picture of her and man named Skylar on the other side of the room. "How are you related to that illegal organization?"

Blake hesitated to tell the truth, but she changed her mind. She wanted to glean information from this woman. The information might become useful when she decides to carry out her revenge on the Redferns and the rest of ShadowLabs. "They were the ones who caused me to be like this."

Raine's eyes widened in shock. "ShadowLabs still exists? I thought that it was disbanded and eliminated ten years ago!"

Blake could tell the woman was being truthful just by the way she spoke and looked at her. She sighed inwardly, relieved that this woman was associated to ShadowLabs not because she supported their heinous cause. "They were disbanded ten years ago thanks to the efforts of the Lionheart Organization, but they reappeared five years later then made another reappearance just recently," she explained.

"Why are they interested in you? You are but a mere young woman."

"They wouldn't have abducted Shizuma and used her to get me to come to them on that oil rig if I was just an ordinary person," Blake replied bitterly. She looked at the doctor with utmost seriousness. "I was one of their test subjects in their first facility until I was rescued."

Raine covered her mouth, which was open due to her surprise. "So you were one of them," she whispered. "Sorry, I just remembered how Alex, my husband would call home and rant about how the organization was treating their human test subjects. He was killed when the founders realized that he was planning to resign and break the test subjects out."

"I'm sorry. I'm not sure if Redfern was referring to your husband, but he said that there was a scientist who was able to develop the serum that would trigger the killer and weapon DNA code of the test subjects. Before ShadowLabs could get a hold of it, the scientist hid everything, proclaimed that he was against their cause, and thought that he brought the knowledge of the serum to the grave with him. Redfern found it though and he was able to use it on me."

"Would you like to see the photos, Alex sent to me from the facility he was stationed in?" Raine asked, but didn't bother to wait for Blake to say yes. She got up and grabbed a book from a nearby bookshelf. It wasn't a photo album but when she opened it, there were several pictures pinned within the pages of the book. "Here," she handed them to Blake. "Does that place look familiar?"

Blake nodded as she continued to scan through the pictures. The places captured were indeed those that she grew up in. "It's the same facility. I don't recall seeing your husband though while I was still a prisoner there."

"You probably wouldn't remember him. He was killed by the organization almost twenty years ago. Not a day has gone by without me wanting to exact revenge on that blasted ShadowLabs," Raine told her companion, anger thick in her voice.

"Because they killed your husband?" Blake inquired as she set the pictures back into the book.

"That was part of it," Raine replied. "They did something worse."

The raven-haired woman eyed the doctor with interest and intrigue. She was curious to see that this woman was also somewhat a victim of ShadowLabs illegal operations. "What else did they do to you?"

"They took my child." She got up and went to a nearby window. "I was pregnant at that time and was due to give birth. When I finally gave birth and woke up the next morning, I heard Alex shouting in the hallway and I knew that something was wrong," she recounted with a grim look on her face. "ShadowLabs had crept into the nursery wing of the hospital and took my child. They told Alex that since he's part of the organization, he should willingly give them what they wanted or else he would be exterminated."

"Did you even get to see your child?" Blake asked, clearly feeling sorry for the doctor.

Raine shook her head and leaned against the windowsill. "Not even a glimpse. Alex and I don't even know if our child was a girl or boy." She went back to sit on the table to continue her story. "Alex went back to the organization to convince the founders to let him have our child, but they wouldn't give in. They did strike a deal with Alex though," she added. "They said that if he was able to develop the serum that would trigger their test subjects' DNA code to evolve, then they would give our child back."

Blake shook her head, knowing that ShadowLabs was never an organization of integrity. "But things didn't go as planned and now your husband is dead and your child is either still in the claws of ShadowLabs or even dead."

Raine nodded her head. "Before my husband died, he sent me an email message saying that he already found out who our child was, but he couldn't give me the details for fear of our family's safety," she explained. "He told me that he was able to find out that the organization had already used our child as a test subject and that he secretly hacked into their files and got the identification number." She paused and twisted the mug around and around in her hands. "I never believed him though. He may have gotten the identification number, but he never saw our child prior to finding out that information."

"Would you happen to remember what the identification number is? There were a handful of us back then and I might have known your child." Blake watched the doctor's eyebrows furrow as she thought deeply.

When the lines on her forehead smoothed out, Raine let out a sigh and folded her hands on the table. "If my memory serves me right, Alex mentioned that the identification code on the cell door of our supposed child is 22,018." She looked at Blake hopefully when she saw the raven-haired woman react. "Did you know this person while you were still in the facility?"

"Twenty-two hundred eighteen," Blake murmured.

"So you did know this person!" Raine cried out in excitement.

Blake felt like her world was spinning way too fast and it was making her confused and dizzy. She had always thought that she was an artificially made human being and had firmly believed that she had no blood relatives. Now that she heard her own identification code from this doctor who was the wife of a ShadowLabs scientist, she wasn't at all sure anymore. "How could this be possible?"

"What do you mean?" Raine asked, the excitement on her face turning to worry. "Are you saying that the person who had the number 22,018 didn't exist or you never saw him or her?"

Instead of replying, Blake stretched out her arm onto the surface of the table. She had always kept the mark on the inside of her forearm a secret and no one except for Kairos knew about it. A decade and a few years more had made the mark fade, but if one looked closely at it, they could make out the small tattooed identification code on her arm. Looking at the confused look on Raine's face, Blake pointed at the fading identification code on the inside of her arm and watched as realization bloomed on her mother's face. "I'm not so surprised now that things turned out this way and after seeing that your husband looks exactly like me," she told her mother, who was beginning to shed tears.

Raine roughly pushed her chair away not bothering that it clattered to the floor and wrapped her long lost daughter in a fierce hug. "Oh sweetling," she cooed through her sobs. She couldn't say anything else because her sobbing completely took her over. After almost five minutes of holding each other, Raine's continuous sobbing into her daughter's chest and Blake's assurances that everything was all right, the mother and daughter pair settled themselves on the couch to talk.

"What was…" Blake paused. "What was dad like?" she asked her mother, holding onto her hand tightly.

Raine rubbed her daughter's hand and smiled. "Your father was a braniac and somewhat like a nerd. He was obsessed with the sciences particularly physics and chemistry and other branches of science related to those two." She chuckled along with Blake. "Despite being a nerd, he was actually a physically fit man. He was part of his university's swim team and was even the vice captain. When I got to know him, I thought he just some happy-go-lucky guy with no priorities pretending that he was interested in the sciences." She gazed out of the window and watched the gentle slapping of the waves against the beach. "I was wrong," she said. "He was a very principled person and became serious whenever he was trying to achieve something. We got married during my last year as an intern. It was during that same year that he got an invitation to join this organization who worked for the benefit of humanity as a scientist and he jumped at the chance."

"He didn't know that it was just a front set up by ShadowLabs," Blake guessed.

The retired doctor nodded her head. "He absolutely had no idea and when the organization took you from us he almost went crazy. He was bent on trying to save you, but he couldn't because the organization would not allow it. When he did try, he was killed." Raine furiously swiped at the rush of tears that fell from her eyes once again.

Blake embraced her mother once more and held onto her as she continued to cry. "It's all right mom. Dad may not be here anymore, but at least his efforts were not in vain." She pulled away from her mother and wiped her tears away with an assuring smile. "I'm still alive and I was able to find you again."

Raine nodded her head and blew her nose on some tissue. "You're right. The past is past and today we're reunited. Come on," she ordered her daughter and got to her feet. "Help me make lunch. You could help me get your friend to eat."

The happiness inside of Blake went down the drain upon her mother's mention of her lover's name. "Shizuma," she breathed out, resting her head in her hands.

"What's wrong?" Her mom asked. "I told you that I would do my best to help her. My former intern should be coming in a while and she'll also help out with Shizuma." She sat back down beside the depressed Blake. "What happened? I'd like to find out what Shizuma went through when you were both captured by ShadowLabs to have caused her trauma."

Blake kept her head in her hands as she explained. "I told you that the Redferns found dad's serum and they injected it into me. They even found dad's notes about it and it said that the serum would trigger my manipulated DNA code through provoking." She knew that she sounded distressed as she recounted what happened in the oil rig. "They first tried provoking me directly by beating and insulting me, but nothing happened. Then that bastard Hunter suggested that they use indirect provoking and he ordered two of his guards to beat Shizuma. She tried to fight back of course but he was slapped by one guard while the other guard grabbed her around the neck and slammed her against the wall. He insinuated that he wanted to keep Shizuma and made a move to touch her chest." She stared at the floor and clenched her teeth while her mother rubbed her back comfortingly. "That did it. Beating Shizuma and attempting to molest her triggered me to change into a-a monster," she almost shouted. "I didn't know what came over me, but I was able to break through my restraints and I killed the two guards before I was tranquilized by Hunter."

"Don't you ever call yourself a monster, Blake!"

"How can I not be a monster?" Blake demanded, looking up to her mother. "I just snapped and went on a killing rampage! I killed two people and enjoyed it even if I was disgusted with myself after killing fifteen men before I got captured! I killed them mom and I killed them so violently! My hands will forever be stained by my sin of enjoying brutally killing those men." She closed her eyes and whispered in a low voice, "How can I not be a monster when I couldn't even save Shizuma from that kind experience?"

"Why are you so affected by what happened to Shizuma? You were able to save her before she got beaten more and molested. Isn't she still alive?" Raine asked.

"I'm acting this way because Shizuma's my lov-" she clamped her lips shut and turned away, knowing that she had just given herself away. She didn't want to look at her mother's face thinking that if she did, she would see disgust.

"So that's how things are," Raine murmured, reaching out with her hand and resting it against her daughter's face. "Look at me Blake," she ordered with kindness in her voice. "If Shizuma is your lover, then you shouldn't be ashamed. I would understand why you fell for her," she told her daughter. "She is quite a stunning and exotic looking woman."

"Mom!" Blake cried out in shock.

Raine grinned and got to her feet. "Just give her some time, Blake. I'm sure that with time she'll be back to her usual self." She took the book with the pictures and put it back on the bookshelf. "Now about lunch," she beckoned Blake to come to the kitchen with her when they heard a car grind to a halt outside the house. "Oh what good timing! I could cook lunch while my former intern takes a look at you and Shizuma." To Blake she ordered, "Go be a dear and welcome her in."

"Yes mom," Blake complied and got to her feet.

"Doc Raine!" A young woman's voice shouted from outside. "I'm here already!"

Another woman's voice sounded outside but this time it was much softer. "Ara! You shouldn't just shout your entrance! It might have not been such a good idea for me to agree to drive you here to Doctor Skylar's place." Her voice got louder as they got closer to the house.

A woman with blonde hair and light brown eyes walked into the door with a woman with long brown hair and dark brown eyes trailing behind her. "Stop teasing! You agreed right away when I asked you to accompany me because you like talking to the Doc!"

The woman with long brown hair stopped in her tracks, tilted her head to the side and stared at an equally surprised Blake. "Ara! Blake-san? Is that you?" Chikaru walked over to Blake, stood on her tiptoes and looked at the other woman's face closely. "You're the Blake-san from five years ago all right!" she exclaimed and signaled Shion Tomori to come closer.

"Chikaru-san and Shion-san," Blake greeted with a wide grin. She was happy to see her two old friends again. "It seems like I was bound to bump into you guys again." She bent down slightly to return the hug of Chikaru and the hug of Shion.

"Where have you been?" Shion demanded, slapping Blake's back hard. "You just disappeared five years ago without a word!" When Raine appeared from the kitchen, she asked, "Hey doc! How do you know Blake and why is she here?"

"She and her friend were the two women I found injured on the beach last night," Raine explained to her former intern. "Blake is also my daughter."

Chikaru and Shion looked at each other then stared at Blake. "Daughter?" they both chorused.

"Blake's your daughter? You said you didn't have any children when I was still interning at your clinic!" Shion exclaimed, looking back at forth at Blake and Raine as if she was trying to see the family resemblance between the two of them.

Raine sighed and clucked her tongue at her sometimes overly energetic successor. "I believed that I didn't have any children because the one I birthed years ago was taken away. It was just this morning when I found out that Blake is in fact my biological daughter."

"Now that you mention it, Blake does look a lot like your deceased husband." Shion pushed Chikaru away and looked closely at Blake's face.

"Shion," Blake started, staring at her friend's face, which was just a handful of inches away. "You're making me uncomfortable."

Chikaru sighed loudly, grabbed her friend and pulled her away from Blake. "Sorry about that. Shion is still as impulsive as ever." Shion opened her mouth to argue, but clamped it shut again when Raine appeared and gave her a scolding look.

"Shion I asked you to come here to take a look at Blake and Shizuma. Blake's the one who has most of the serious injuries, but I would like you to do what you can with Shizuma. She's suffering from trauma after what she and Blake went through at that oil rig they escaped from last night."

Chikaru looked at Blake and noticed the distressed look on her face. "What happened?"

"You could explain while I check you out," Shion suggested, grabbing the hem of Blake's shirt and pulling it up. As she did a thorough examination of Blake's body, both she and Chikaru listened attentively as Blake explained everything that happened in the two days that have gone by. They also asked other questions pertaining to what Blake had been doing after she left Japan and how she had met Shizuma again. "Well, you're all right. You should keep using that bruise balm that the Doc used on you and you shouldn't do any strenuous activities for a month or two depending on how fast you heal," the former Spica student council president informed. She watched Blake put her shirt back on then looked towards the bedroom. "Let's have a look at Shizuma-san then," she suggested. "Lead the way Blake."

The three women waved at Raine inside the kitchen then stepped into the bedroom occupied by Shizuma. Chikaru and Shion immediately walked to Shizuma's bedside and gazed at her while Blake chose to stand against the wall nearest the door. The platinum-haired woman's eyes were open, but were half-lidded. Her face had newer tearstains and she stared sullenly at the ceiling above her.

"This is bad," Shion let out, sitting on the bed and taking Shizuma's face into her hands. "Shizuma-san, this is not healthy for you," she told the former Etoile who remained in her trance. She gazed into tired amber eyes before relinquishing her hold on the platinum-haired woman's face. "She's still in emotional shock. It happens," she told them, letting Chikaru take her seat on the bed. "Has she eaten anything?"

Blake shook her head. "Mom said that she tried to get her to eat yesterday while I was still out cold, but she didn't even eat a bite."

Shion frowned then turned her gaze back at the traumatized woman on the bed. "Shizuma-san, you must eat or else you won't last any longer. Put your mind at ease," she told the woman gently. "You're safe and alive despite being assaulted-"

"Shut up," the former Etoile whispered, her eyes tearing up.

"Shizuma-san," Shion tried, but was shocked into silence when the platinum-haired woman began to wail and scream at them.

"Leave me!" Shizuma screamed, turning her body away from Chikaru and Shion, but found herself looking at Blake. "Get out!" she shouted, her eyes hardening at Blake who flinched at her tone of voice. The tears came down harder now when Blake took a step forward to try to comfort the distraught woman. "Don't come any closer!" She had fear in her eyes as she stared at Blake as if she was a monster. "Please… just leave me alone," she whispered, pulling the blankets tighter around her body and averting her gaze from the three women in the room.

"Ara! Come on Blake!' Chikaru exclaimed cheerfully, walking to Blake's side and hooking their arms together. "Accompany for a walk on the beach while Shion continues her examination." She gave Shion a look of worry before dragging Blake out of the room and outside onto the beach. It was only when the two women were several yards away from the beach house when Chikaru started their conversation.

"You are blaming yourself," she said in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone of voice. "Are you seriously taking all the blame for what happened to Shizuma-san? You did what you could to save her and she's alive because of your efforts!" Chikaru turned her head and looked sidelong at her companion.

"It's my fault," Blake said softly, her storm gray eyes darkening. "None of this would have happened if it weren't for me and my affiliation to ShadowLabs." She stopped, bent down and grabbed a handful of sand. She let Chikaru walk a few feet ahead of her as she let the sand slowly slip out of her hand. "I should have never…" she began, swallowing a lump in her throat. "I should have never gotten this close to Shizuma. They took advantage of my feelings for her and they used her to unleash the monster inside of me. It should have never gotten to this."

Chikaru stopped walking and looked up at the cloudy skies above. "You're regretting falling in love with Shizuma-san?" she inquired, tucking a lose strand of hair behind her ear.

"What if I am?" Blake demanded in a shout. "She must be regretting it too! You could tell just by the way she looked and addressed me a while ago! She sees me as a monster after what I did two nights ago! Didn't you hear me explain to you a while ago?" she demanded. "I killed those two men using such brutal means! I lost all control and respect for their lives as I disposed of them! Don't tell me you don't see me as a monster after hearing that and knowing that I enjoyed the kill!"

"Do you think I'd see you that way? I am shocked with what you did to those men, but what could have you done? At least you did something to save yourself and Shizuma," she told Blake. "Do you honestly believe that Shizuma really feels that way about you?" Chikaru twirled around to face Blake. "I will never believe that Shizuma regrets falling in love with you. She waited for five years to find you again. Do you think that kind of devotion is meaningless?" She crossed her arms over her chest and gazed at the raven-haired woman. "Don't give up on her, Blake." The dark-haired woman ambled back to Blake and gently touched Blake's damp cheek with her index finger. "Let it out," she ordered the crying Blake with a smile.

Blake put a hand on her cheek and became shocked when she felt the unfamiliar wetness on her cheeks. "I'm… crying?" she asked aloud. She began to laugh even as the tears came down harder. "I can't be crying," she said in disdain. "I-I can't be-" she choked, covering her quivering mouth with her hand. Frustrated at her sudden show of emotion, Blake fell to her knees, bracing her hands against the sand and finally allowing herself to cry herself out. "I feel so angry!" she blubbered, trying not to look at Chikaru. "I'm angry at myself and I feel guilty! How could I continue to love her if she'll just be in danger if she chooses to stay at my side? How could she choose to love a monster like me?" Her eyes were starting to hurt and her throat clenched tightly each time she forced herself to say something between her sobs.

Chikaru got to her knees and eased Blake's head into her lap. "You shouldn't deny yourself of your love for Shizuma," she told Blake, one hand resting on Blake's arm and the other was soothingly patting Blake's head.

"I don't want to!" Blake shouted into Chikaru's lap. "But I have no choice! I don't want her to go through that kind of thing again!" She wrapped her arms around Chikaru's waist and buried her head deeper into the other woman's lap. "I'm scared… I'm scared that I won't be able to protect her the next time around. I'm scared of losing myself to my anger and letting her see me turn into the monstrosity she saw!" She must have been making a scene with the way she was lying face down on the sand with her head buried in Chikaru's lap and her arms wrapped around the woman's waist.

The former Saint Lulim president smiled sadly and leaned down to hug Blake's lying form. "It's understandable that you feel that way, but you must know something Blake," she told the raven-haired woman softly.

"What's that?" Blake asked in a gravelly voice.

"It's you whom Shizuma needs the most now," Chikaru replied. "The only thing or person that could snap her out of her current state is you."

Blake pushed herself back to her knees and gazed at Chikaru with her reddened eyes. "But what can I do to help her?" she inquired, rubbing her eyes with her forearm.

"_Help her forget,"_ Chikaru told Blake in a very rare serious tone. "Help her forget what she experienced in that oil rig two nights ago." She immediately broke out in a smile and got to her feet. "I'll leave it to you to decide how to go about it, but I'm sure you know what I'm implying," she added, helping Blake get to her feet and giving her a tight hug. "It was both a treat and a tad bit depressing for me to see you cry like that."

"Don't rub it in," Blake muttered, sounding so much calmer than she was a few moments ago. "I have a headache now. I haven't cried like that for a few years now." She and Chikaru walked back to the beach house and by the time they stepped into the house, Blake looked like she didn't even come from crying. The first thing she asked for was a glass of water and some aspirin from her mother.

* * *

It was past supper when Chikaru and Shion excused themselves and bid their goodbyes and goodnights to Raine and Blake. Shion looked quizzically at Chikaru who was giving Blake strange looks. "Chikaru, what are you doing?"

Chikaru smiled and grabbed onto Shion's hand. "I'm just reminding Blake about something we talked about on our walk to the beach a few hours ago," she told the blonde-haired woman. To Blake, she gave her a suggestive wink and said, "You have to help her forget, all right Blake?" With that, she and Shion walked out of the door drove off into the night.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that Blake," Raine told her daughter with a smile. "I'll be sleeping early tonight so do whatever it is you're going to do to help Shizuma out."

"Mom," Blake groaned, waving her mom away to her room. "Just go to sleep," she told her mom and kissed her on the cheek. As soon as her mother disappeared into her own bedroom, Blake walked to Shizuma's bedroom door, pushed it open and slipped inside. Shizuma was still lying down on her bed, her body facing the large set of windows that gave her a view of the ocean. She quietly walked to the bed and sat on it, gazing so gently at the upturned face that looked up at her now. "Crying doesn't suit you," she told the woman gently.

Shizuma's amber orbs hardened despite the tears that continued to trail down her face. "What do you know?" she asked in a whisper. "You weren't the one who was beaten and almost molested," she added in a low growl. "You don't know how it feels to have your dignity broken and to witness someone they thought to be so gentle and kind transform into a violent killer." She turned her face away from the guilty look Blake gave her. "Just leave. Leave me alone, Blake."

"I can't leave you, Shizuma. Not when you're in this state," Blake told the platinum-haired woman. She reached out and laid her hand softly on the blanketed form of Shizuma. "Please forgive me," she begged her lover in a soft voice. "I should have… done something sooner to prevent you from getting assaulted like that. I tried to save you and was able to stop them, but I could not control my anger when I killed those two men."

"You think it's that easy?" Shizuma shouted as she bolted up in her bed and glared at Blake with tearful eyes. "While they were beating me, I prayed and hoped that you would come and save me," she told the raven-haired woman. "I was wrong to have done so… to have hoped so easily!" She wrapped her arms around herself and held back a sob.

"Hit me then, Shizuma."

"What?" The platinum-haired woman looked at Blake questioningly.

"Hit me," Blake repeated with a serious look on her face. "If it will make you feel better, I'll let you release your anger on me. It is reasonable because I was too late to save you and I hold myself liable to what happened." She swung her legs up on the bed and sat Indian-style. "If that isn't enough then you could leave me and say that we never had any romantic relationship or whatsoever. I can assure you that if we do separate from each other then you'll be safe from ShadowLabs. I'll sacrifice even our love just to keep you safe." She gazed at Shizuma then closed her eyes in submission. "So go ahead do what you want." She braced herself for the impact. Seconds then a full minute went by when Blake opened her eyes. "Shizuma, why-" Her head snapped to the side as a hard slap connected to her face.

Shizuma looked despondently at Blake. "Why are you like that?" she demanded. "How can you give up everything even our love just to protect me after treating badly and calling you a monster?" She turned her body away from Blake but remained upright on the bed. "Why must you be so kind?"

Blake touched her stinging cheek. "It's because I love you and I will continue to love you even if it meant distancing myself and disappearing just to protect you. You'll forget about me eventually if that happens and you'll move on."

Still facing away from Blake, Shizuma's shoulders shook as she started to sob. "How could I forget you so easily?" she asked in an almost too soft voice. "After everything we went through together and how you helped me find love after giving up on it. How can you tell me that I'll forget you and move on so easily?" Her sobs became louder and her body trembled even harder. "I can't… I just can't, but I wish I could forget about what those men did to me." She gazed at Blake tearfully. "I just can't forget how you stained the floors and your hands with the blood of those men you killed so brutally."

"Then let me help you forget," Blake whispered huskily, moving forward and capturing Shizuma in the circle of her arms. She pulled Shizuma closer to her until the point that her chest was pressed against Shizuma's back. Her hands rested against the taut stomach of Shizuma and she gently placed a kiss on a sensitive spot on her neck. "Let me help you… forget," she whispered hotly into the platinum-haired beauty's ear before reaching up with her hand and leading Shizuma into a heated kiss. She softly kissed those trembling lips and pulled back to gaze at Shizuma with half lidded eyes. Her eyes travelled from gazing at those glazed amber orbs down the bridge of her nose and finally those parted lips. With a gentle hand, Blake wiped the tears off of Shizuma's face feeling something similar to a surge of electricity rush through the fingers, up her arm and down her spine that made contact with the smooth skin. Closing her eyes, she bent her head down and gave her lover another kiss. This time Blake was not as gentle and demanded more from the woman in her arms. She could not help but feel ecstatic when Shizuma tilted her head up more to receive the kiss and kiss back better. Feeling Shizuma's mouth opening slightly, Blake followed suit and let their tongues meet and glide ever so slowly and sensually over one another.

"Blake," Shizuma breathed out in between their kisses. "Please…" she arched her back and let the raven-haired woman behind her pull her shirt over her head. "Please," she repeated this time in a low moan as her lover gently cupped her breasts in her long and slender hands, kneading them lightly. She could not contain the overwhelming feelings she had and began to push down her underwear. She had been wearing only a shirt and the panties since she arrived at the doctor's house.

Breaking the kiss, Blake moved her lips to Shizuma's neck and began to lavish it. She first trailed kisses from Shizuma's jawbone down to the junction of her neck and shoulder. She made her way back up again but this time Blake lavished the previously kissed spots with a tender lick and then suckling on them. Blake lips curled in a smile as she continued to lavish her woman's neck when Shizuma let out a low whimper. She continued her ministrations on the former Etoile's breasts, fondling them gently at first then gradually increasing the pressure.

"Please," Shizuma whispered into Blake's mouth. "I need…" she finished her sentence with a moan as Blake's fingers traced a lazy trail down the trembling muscles of her stomach. She bit on her lip, her eyes darkening with desire when she felt those same fingers tangle themselves for a few moments on the trimmed thatch of hair at the junction of her thighs.

"Tell me where," Blake whispered hotly into Shizuma's ear before nibbling on the sensitive lobe. "Show me where you want me to be," she laved the inner ear of Shizuma with her tongue as she continued to tease the squirming woman in her arms. "Show me where, Shizuma." Looking down with interest as her partner rested a trembling hand on top of her wandering hand and guided it down past the thatch of hair and into the sweet moistness of her core. "Show me what you want me to do to you."

Shizuma nodded her head and pressed Blake's fingers onto the sensitive nub, gasping out in raw pleasure. She continued to lead Blake's inquiring fingers to touch her for a bit longer before letting her hand drop onto the bed and grip the sheets. She threw her head back against Blake's shoulder and breathed in heavily as she let herself get lost in the amalgam of sensation she was feeling. She felt the heat develop and increase from her core, up her chest and up to her face, which was red from the Blake's attention. "Blake," she panted, her cheeks flushed. "I'm close…"

The raven-haired responded to the Shizuma and quickened her strokes, occasional pressing and circling using her fingertips. As Shizuma's breathing became quicker and quicker, Blake let her fingers circle once around the sensitive nub, before travelling further down and positioning them for entry. As she continued fondling Shizuma's breast, Blake lowered her lips onto Shizuma's once more and pressed her fingers into Shizuma's core. Blake held onto her lover as she arched her back, screaming into Blake's kiss, which was effectively muffled. When Shizuma ceased her trembling, Blake carefully laid her down on the bed and craved to feel her lover's skin against hers. She quickly stripped out of her clothing, leaving herself only in the bandages that were wrapped around her midriff. Taking care to mind her weight, Blake eased herself on top of Shizuma's lightly sweating body and lowered herself until their bodies were touching.

This time Shizuma reached up, tangled her fingers in Blake's sable-black hair and pulled her down roughly for a kiss. Their lips slanted over and over again against each other as they battled for dominance until Blake broke away and began to kiss a trail down her neck, onto her collarbone and finally the tops of her generous bosom. With the tip of her tongue, Blake travelled down to one pert peak, circled it then encompassed it with her warm and moist mouth. That mere action made the woman below her squirm and pant heavily. Blake switched her attention on the unattended peak and continued her ministrations until she felt Shizuma gently push her head downward.

"Where do you want me to go?" Blake asked, gently nipping on the creamy skin of Shizuma's stomach. She alternated kissing, licking and biting the taut skin before letting her inquiring tongue dip briefly into Shizuma's navel, which resulted to her lover's hips suddenly bucking upward. "Down?"

"Nghhh…" Shizuma moaned out her reply, one hand gripping the bed sheets while the other was fisted in Blake's hair. She threw her back against her pillow and urged Blake on, clamping onto her fingers with her lips to stifle her cries of pleasure. Her thighs trembled upon feeling the first contact of Blake's tongue on her nether regions. Her bucking hips were held fast by strong hands as she let each wave of pleasure wash through her body. The pleasure amplified when her lover's fingers sought her opening and slid themselves inside of her. Shizuma was becoming shameless in her pleasure as she ground her hips against Blake's intimate touch in the form of her moving fingers and tongue. The feel of Blake's ministrations and the sheer sight of her pleasuring her in such an intimate way brought her to another orgasm. Shizuma's body shuddered as wave after wave of pleasure flowed through her body.

Blake carefully withdrew her fingers when Shizuma's inner walls stopped pulsating around her and tiredly smiled up at her lover from her position. She only made her way up when Shizuma's hand reached down and gripped her chin, gently pulling her up her exhausted body. Blake locked lips with Shizuma as soon as she was face-to-face with her then pulled back to look searchingly at her lover. "Was I successful in helping you forget?"

"For now…" Shizuma answered with a small smile, then flipped Blake onto her back. "Perhaps a few more rounds will do the trick." She pressed her lips against Blake's and felt the gray-eyed woman wrap her arms around her. "You'll protect me always?"

Blake gasped in pleasure. "I always will, Shizuma."

"Don't ever leave my side."

* * *


	22. Distracted

_Chapter 22: Distracted_

As tendrils of light shone through an opening of the curtained windows, Blake gazed lovingly at the sleeping woman at her side. The early morning sun's rays lit upon the exposed skin of Shizuma's face, shoulders and upper chest that were uncovered by the sheets, giving her a surreal glow. The look on her lover's face was so tender and peaceful that Blake could not help but let out a soft smile as she propped her head on her hand to get a better view of the still sleeping Shizuma. It was hard to believe that her lover could look like that after what the both of them had gone through in the past few days. It was even harder to believe that she had just slept with Shizuma last night. Blake never once thought about the idea of sex even when she was already dating Shizuma back on Astraea Hill. Back then, she only had a basic working knowledge about the topic and would often avoid it whenever the people around her would bring it up. Kaname and Momomi for example would describe their sexual escapades in front of Blake just to see if they could make her turn red. Shizuma on the other hand would make subtle insinuations, hoping that she would be able to score with Blake as Miyuki described it when she witnessed one such event.

It was safe to say that Blake became truly knowledgeable after she had moved in with Jez. The designer was of course very experienced and she had tricked Blake into watching one of her rented pornographic films. Blake vividly remembered that Jez ran her through every single thing that happened in the sex scene from the various forms of foreplay to the act of intercourse itself. Eventually, Blake was introduced to rigors of lesbian sex except that she learned through a very awkward experience. Kairos was away on one of his business trips so Jez and Blake were spending time with each other in her attic turned studio. Jez got a phone call from the apartment's housekeeper that Ash was on her way up and she had _that _look on her face. Before Blake could excuse herself, Jez roughly shoved Blake into one of her wardrobe closets just as Ash burst into the studio and pounced on her girlfriend. The two women were oblivious to everything as they tore at each other's clothes. They didn't even notice that the closet door was partly open giving the hidden Blake inside a good view. After Ash left to get cleaned up in one of the bathrooms downstairs, Jez let Blake out and apologized. She explained that when her girlfriend would get in that kind of mood, there was no stopping her. Besides, she claimed that it was a good first-hand learning experience for Blake.

The raven-haired woman frowned for a few seconds after remembering that particular memory before leaning down slightly to plant a quick kiss on her lover's swollen lips. A soft whine escaped from the former Etoile's lips as she turned to lie on her side and burrow deeper into the bed sheets. With one last caring look, Blake carefully got out of bed and began to pull on her clothes from last night. She needed to ask her mother if she had any more spare clothes for her and she had to start thinking of a way to get back to her apartment without letting Kairos figure out what happened. When she was decently covered, Blake silently slipped out of the room and padded into the kitchen to find her mother sitting on the dining room table.

Raine Skylar looked up from reading her morning paper and gave her long lost daughter a smile. "Sleep well?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Well enough," Blake replied and slid into an empty chair. She propped her elbows on the edge of the table and looked at her mother suspiciously. "Did you mean something else by your question?"

"Of course not Blake," her mother replied back with a serious look on her face. "I suppose you're looking to have breakfast or bathing." She folded the newspaper and set it on the table. "If you want breakfast, you'll have to give me a few minutes to prepare. If you choose to take a shower first, I already put out some clean clothes for you."

"I think I'll take a shower first so that you'll have time to make breakfast." She followed the retired doctor to her bedroom and waited patiently as her mother took a set of clean clothes from the top of her dresser and handed them over to Blake. "Do you have anything for Shizuma? I'll just drop it 

off in her room before I take a shower." She took another set of clothes from her mother, gave her thanks and headed back into Shizuma's room. Her lover was still asleep when she set the clothes on the bed so she made her way to the bathroom to clean herself up. A few minutes later, Blake was seated at the dining table with a damp towel draped around her shoulders and a plate of hot food in front of her. "Thanks mom."

"You know, it feels nice to have someone call me by that," Raine shared. She sat on the other end of the table with a mug of coffee. "It's been twenty-four years after all and it's only now that I actually heard my own child call me mom." Raine shook her head ruefully. "It's rather strange that you took to calling me mom just like that."

Blake shrugged her shoulders and directed a reassuring smile at her mother. "It just seems right that I call you by that because you're my real mother. A lot of time has been taken away from the both of us and I'll do everything to make up for that time lost."

"As long as you don't go plotting revenge on ShadowLabs then I'm sure we'll be able to make up for it," Raine told the young woman sternly. "I mean it Blake," she added. "Who knows what ShadowLabs will do to you if you just all of a sudden waltz back into their headquarters? I'd rather keep you alive and let the higher authorities handle this."

A frown formed on Blake's face and she opened her mouth to argue when she felt two arms wrap around her from behind. Glancing up, she caught familiar amber orbs staring into her own storm gray ones.

A sleepy smile graced Shizuma's face as she nuzzled Blake's neck and took a deep breath. "Morning Blake," she greeted. "It's a bit early for you to be frowning like that and it's not good to argue with your mother at the dining table." Her long platinum hair was sleep-tussled and thankfully she had not tied it up. Blake was sure there were a few red bite marks on Shizuma's neck that originated from the raven-haired woman.

"Shizuma," Blake said warily and tried to pry her lover arms off her. "You say it's rude for me to frown and argue with my mother, but it's also rude that you publicly display your affection in front of my mother." She was scowling at her lover but deep down she felt happy that Shizuma was back to her usual self.

"What's there to hide Blake?" Shizuma withdrew her arms and plopped herself into the chair next to Blake. "Your mother has the right to know about the two of us," she added, raising her eyebrows at her lover. "Besides, I think she already knows after last night." She and Raine shared a smile as Blake turned crimson.

"You _were_ rather loud," Raine admitted sheepishly. "I must admit though that it took a while for it to sink in when you blurted out that Shizuma was your lover."

"So you did eavesdrop!" Blake sputtered, blushing furiously.

Raine raised her eyebrows at her daughter. "I didn't eavesdrop, Blake," she reminded. "It's more like I heard all your _activities _reverberating through the walls."

"I'm rather surprised with how well you took Blake's relationship with me," Shizuma cut in just as Blake was about to make a fuss. She smiled sweetly at her lover before focusing her attention on the retired doctor. "Most parents aren't open to the idea of their children having a relationship with someone of the same sex."

"If I had raised Blake then I suppose I would have been like those parents you mentioned," Raine replied. "I never had the chance to do that and let's just say the two decades of being alone has made me open my mind." She smiled impishly at her daughter. "As long as you're happy, then I have nothing against who you decide to be with." Raine and Shizuma laughed at the barely audible mumble of thanks from the raven-haired woman and continued to talk about innocent things. They had gotten to the topic of Blake and the Astraea Hill students going to the beach for summer when they heard the sound of rumbling engines from outside.

"Visitors?" Shizuma asked, glancing out of the window and saw two cars parking by the driveway.

Raine nodded and began to clear the table. "Shion and Chikaru are dropping by," she explained. "Shion's going to give the two of you one last check-up. Chikaru on the other hand, only comes by because Shion forces her to drive." She led the group into the living room to meet their visitors. "Shion hasn't had the time to get her license so Chikaru's her only source of transportation."

"Not very surprising since she decided to become a doctor," Shizuma mused and smiled brightly at her former schoolmates when they walked through the open doorway. "Good morning Shion-san and Chikaru-san," she greeted.

Chikaru returned the smile and bowed respectfully to the platinum-haired woman. "Good morning to you too!" She elbowed her companion and motioned for her to do the same.

"Morning," Shion greeted, distracted. "Doc, you have someone here looking for you. I don't recall him being one of your former patients though," she told Raine. "The thing is Chikaru and I know him from before and we're guessing that he's here because of someone else." Shion could not explain any further for a furious looking Kairos shoved them out of the way, strode towards Blake and delivered a hard punch at his charge's face much to the shock of the other women.

Blake did not expect her guardian to be here. She was taken by surprise when he ruthlessly punched her, which made her fall to the floor and land on her back. Rubbing her sore cheek with one hand and bracing herself on the floor with the other, she looked up at the snapping eyes of her guardian and stared back at him. "That's not really a nice way to greet me," she pointed out coldly.

"Is that it that you can say?" Kairos shouted, stepping over Blake and grabbing the front of her shirt with his hands. "You fucking disappeared for three days without so much of a word from you!" He hauled Blake up easily to her feet without letting go of Blake's shirt. "First I tried calling your cellphone to get you to come back to the apartment since the repairs were done! Your cellphone wasn't even turned on! Next I got Jez to tell me where Shizuma lives so that I could just pick you up, but the two of you weren't even there!" he continued to berate his charge, holding her close to his face. "I go back to the apartment, find out your Ducati was gone and traced it at the house of that old couple who just said that you went on a trip! You never went off alone without telling me! I had to get the Lionheart agents to track you down and they sent me a report that you had a rendezvous with ShadowLabs! Are you fucking stupid?!" he shouted at his charges face. "You could have gotten killed!"

"I'm alive aren't I?" Blake replied calmly. "What did you expect me to do? Let Shizuma be tortured?" she demanded.

"You could have told the Lionheart Organization!" Kairos shouted back, tightening his grip on his charge's shirt.

"Then what?" Blake finally shouted back. "Don't you dare tell me that the organization would jump at the chance to save Shizuma! They would rather let other people suffer and keep me alive than risk losing me to ShadowLabs!" She traded angry glares with her guardian.

"How would you know?" The blonde-haired guardian demanded angrily.

"They took me away from a life that I was already content with!" Blake spat out, her old rage for her guardian and the organization that protected her returning. "After doing that, I wouldn't be so trusting!"

Kairos pulled harder at his charge's shirt. "Fuck the organization!" he roared. "You could have told me," he growled in a lower voice. "You could have told me and I would have come with you to save Shizuma and kill those stupid Redferns." He breathed heavily trying to let his anger subside. "Damn it Blake! You shouldn't have gone alone!" He looked down at the floor and tried to make his trembling fingers stop shaking.

Blake blinked her storm-gray eyes once and felt her rage fade away. Reaching up, she pried her guardian's hold off her shirt. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked solemnly at her long time guardian and friend. "Forgive me," she said softly. "It was selfish of me to not ask for your help. I should have known better that if the organization wouldn't help me, you would be the one to do so."

Kairos shook his head and rubbed his eyes with the length of his forearm. When he looked up, it was only then that Blake realized that her guardian's bloodshot eyes only symbolized one thing. "I was worried," he admitted, running his hand through his tussled hair. "I haven't had much sleep since I found out that you were missing. I spent all my time searching for you until the Lionheart agents traced you here."

"Sorry," Blake said once again. This time she stepped forward and hugged her guardian fiercely, surprising him because of her sudden gesture. "I won't do that again and next time I'll be sure to ask you to come with me especially if it involves exterminating ShadowLabs."

Kairos chuckled deeply and returned the fierce hug. "You should have remembered that I would have come with you to save Shizuma," he told his charge, gently rubbing the younger woman's head. "I owe you for taking you away from Japan and ShadowLabs did take the life of my favorite cousin." He let go of Blake and stepped back. "Did I punch you too hard?"

Blake shook her head. "I had worse," she reassured him.

Kairos grinned. "That done, why don't we go home? I have a lot of people worried for you and Shizuma." He looked around and smiled apologetically at the former Astraea hill students before locking eyes with the retired doctor. "Sorry about that doctor, I kind of lost myself there."

Blake stepped forward to handle the introductions. "Kairos this is Raine Skylar," she began. "She was the one who rescued me and Shizuma when we got to the beach. Kairos is my guardian," she informed her mother. "He was the one who saved me from ShadowLabs ten years back." She looked seriously at Kairos before revealing the next set of information to her guardian. "She's also my biological mother."

Kairos' eyes seemingly bulged after hearing that revelation. "Your biological mother?" he sputtered, looking at Blake and the doctor with a doubtful look clearly written on his face.

"It's true!" Shion interrupted and brought out some medical documents. "Doc gave me a blood sample she took from Blake when she was still unconscious and I took some blood too from the Doc. I ran a few blood tests and it's positive that they are mother and daughter."

"Kairos," Blake called her guardian out of his confused thoughts. "It's a long story and I still need to tell you about everything that happened in that abandoned oil rig."

"Tell me everything then," he told everyone. "I'm rather confused." He let himself be led to a nearby couch and sat heavily on it. He listened as Blake and Shizuma recounted the events that transpired in the past few days. They both told Kairos that they had agreed to meet with each other after Blake would drop off Ryu, but things didn't go according to plan because Hunter Redfern had kidnapped Shizuma from her home. Blake continued by telling Kairos of her plans to go to the oil rig alone and how she had left her Ducati with the old couple before stealing a speedboat from the nearby docks. Seeing that Blake was having trouble recounting what had happened to her when she was finally captured, Shizuma took over and explained how the Redferns had ordered their men to beat Blake the first night before injecting her with the drug concocted by Blake's father.

Not wanting Shizuma to talk about how she had lost control of herself and went on a killing spree, Blake pulled Kairos away and told him how the drug worked because Redfern ordered his men to harm Shizuma. She explained how she had seemingly lost control and brutally disposed of the two guards before Redfern was successful in tranquilizing her. Before Blake got ahead of herself, she hurriedly told Kairos of Leon who was another experimental subject of ShadowLabs.

"You want to save him don't you?" Kairos asked his charge while the rest of the women sat around them.

Blake nodded her head. "He doesn't deserve to be treated that way and if we don't act now, he might turn out to become the ultimate weapon of ShadowLabs," she explained. "From what Shizuma said, he doesn't fight back and allows the Redferns to conduct their experiments on him."

"That's a problem then," Kairos replied tiredly. "As much as I agree with your decision, we cannot easily stage an attack on ShadowLabs. The Lionheart Organization would have to know about this," he told Blake regretfully. "I know it'll take a long time for the organization to take action. You know the bureaucracy when it comes to large-scale organizations."

A frown formed on Blake's face. "That's what I was afraid of."

"You better not have any plans of going solo again, Blake," Raine warned her daughter in a stern voice. "I'm not sure how much more your body can take if you were to be beaten again. The human body has its limits even if you're not an ordinary human."

"Right now I have no plans of doing another solo mission, but surely I'm going to try to save Leon from ShadowLabs as soon as I get the Lionheart Organization to move its ass." She grinned as the people around her started to laugh. "Well, I think it's best that I go home with Kairos and take Shizuma home."

Raine got up and held her arms out to Blake. "Be sure to call me and visit," she told her daughter as she first hugged her then Shizuma. To Kairos she said, "Thank you for looking after my daughter in my absence. I am deeply indebted to you for your kindness."

Kairos rubbed the back of his head and looked embarrassed. "Please don't hold yourself indebted to me," he told the doctor. "It was my pleasure to take care of Blake. She's like my own sister after all the years we spent together."

"I'm glad that you look at her that way. Go on now! I'll see you soon, Blake!" Raine accompanied the group outside and watched them board their respective cars. "Visit me anytime!" she called out one last time before the cars drove off.

Blake and Shizuma rode in Kairos' BMW X5 while Shion and Chikaru rode in a sleek Toyota Camry. The two women turned on another road as Kairos drove for the main highway that would bring them back to downtown New York. Kairos turned his head slightly to regard his charge who sat in the passenger seat beside him. "We'll pass by that old couple's place so that you could pick up your Ducati," he informed both women. "Then perhaps we could bring Shizuma home before the two of us head over to the organization to have a council meeting regarding what transpired recently."

"Sounds good to me," Blake replied. "We need to get the organization to assign a guard to Shizuma, Jez and the rest of our friends. It doesn't mean the ShadowLabs will stop at kidnapping Shizuma if they could try capturing our other family members and friends."

Kairos nodded his head in agreement. "I can handle that matter and it is for the best if we assign guards for our families and friends. The organization has more than enough man power for this so we don't have to worry about protection." He slowed the SUV down and parked it outside the familiar house of the old couple. "Go get your bike," he ordered Blake and watched as his charge hopped out and rung the doorbell.

"Sorry about Blake," Shizuma let out quietly from her position in the back seat. "If I wasn't careless, Blake wouldn't have been forced to come rescue me." She was looking down at her clenched hands on her lap.

Glancing at his rearview mirror to look at the guilty-faced woman, Kairos shook his head and replied, "This has nothing to do with you, Shizuma. As I said earlier, I was mostly angry because Blake should have at least brought me along to attempt rescuing you. It would have been slightly easier if I was there with her."

"You figured out her plan easily, didn't you?"

"It was rather easy because Blake does not usually jump into dangerous things alone. She will do something by herself after arguing and fighting with me first though," he explained. "So when I found 

out that she was missing without consulting with me before she disappeared," he shrugged and grinned. "It was obvious that she had recklessly gone raring off on her own."

"You know her so well," Shizuma pointed out.

"Taking care of her for the past ten years has done that," Kairos replied. "With the way she recklessly handles life, Blake is gradually causing me to get wrinkles and gray hair."

"What's that about wrinkles and gray hair?" Blake asked as she pushed her motorcycle onto the road and strapped on her helmet.

"Nothing Blake," the blonde-haired guardian said casually, sneaking a fast wink at Shizuma. "Rev your engine and let's get going. It'll take a while for us to arrange a meeting with the council and the meeting itself may take hours so we shouldn't waste any more time." Seeing that Blake was ready and on her Ducati, Kairos took the lead and drove towards the towering skyline of New York City.

With a short but sweet farewell between the two lovers, the guardian and his charge dropped Shizuma off at her apartment before speeding away to the Lionheart Organization's headquarters. They both hastily parked their respective vehicles then strode into the main lobby of the building, shoving anyone out of their way. It only took Kairos a couple of commands to summon the council at their main conference room and in just fifteen minutes, the whole council was present and seated.

"What's this ruckus about?" One suited man asked from his seat in the front. "We're all quite busy people and we don't just rush off towards some impromptu meeting without being forewarned at least two days beforehand."

Another man called out his agreement. "Blackthorn this better be good," he said in annoyance. "You don't hold a position high enough to be calling meetings like this."

"I suggest you shut your mouths because this meeting concerns me and the potential future of society," Blake remarked coldly, silencing the council body. "Don't look down on Kairos. If it weren't for him and the efforts of his deceased cousin, you wouldn't have gotten custody of me." She glared at those people who looked annoyingly at her. "I probably would have become a mindless weapon of destruction by now if I had not been saved by him," she jerked her chin at Kairos, indicating who she was talking about.

Kairos cleared his throat and placed a controlling hand on his charge's shoulder. "I would not have called this meeting if it weren't important," he told the council with a serious look. "The gravity of this problem is too great to ignore any longer. ShadowLabs made a move recently and was successful in capturing Blake by means of kidnapping her friend."

"What?" One man shouted while the rest of his companions heatedly began to argue with each other. "ShadowLabs has not made a move since your charge was attacked five years ago!"

"The charge you're talking about was lured to their secret base, captured and experimented on for two nights," Blake raised her voice at the council. Her eyes sparking with anger, she continued, "Your so-called principles and rules would have never made you help me rescue my friend so I went on my own."

"Then that is due to your foolishness then," a fortyish man pointed out. "We uphold our principles and laws to the greatest extent and we cannot afford to breach it for the sake of saving a single person."

"Damn your stupid rules and motto then!" Blake shouted, banging her fists on the nearest table. "What's with all that 'transforming and revolutionizing society' crap? You claimed that your organization existed to help humanity yet you won't even lift a finger to help save one woman!" Taking things literally, the look in her eyes could probably bore holes through the council members before her. "Now I can see why you fought to have custody over me! If circumstances allowed it, you would use me as a weapon to safeguard your organization!"

Several of the council members got their feet and began a shouting match with the enraged Blake Saberhart while Kairos struggled to retain order in the meeting. "You ungrateful wench! After all we have done for you and this is how you repay us?!"

"Save your preaching for someone more stupid than I am!" Blake shouted back. "Everything you taught and told me was just a whole load of crap!" She dodged a glass of water that was thrown at her and lunged forward to grapple with the man she thought to have thrown it. Chaos looked to be inevitable in the conference room when the fire alarm suddenly rang and the sprinkler systems activated, drenching them with water.

"Enough!" A woman's commanding voice sounded in the conference room that was raining indoors. Every person in the room turned to see a woman with graying hair by the door with her elbow still jammed in the fire alarm trigger. She didn't seem to mind that she was getting soaked along with the people in the conference room. "I come here to partake in this meeting and I end up being a spectator to an over the top wrestling match."

"President! Saberhart and Blackthorn are turning against us and has insulted our organization!"

The current president of the Lionheart Organization carefully looked at the council member who boldly proclaimed that. "I suggest you all think carefully first before saying what comes to mind." The formidable looking woman walked to the center of the conference room. "It seems that I have been too lenient on the council when it comes to the matters involving Blake and ShadowLabs. The lax on supervision on this body has taken its toll," she commented.

"We're doing what it is best for the name of our organization!" The same man argued.

"For the name of our organization or for your individual names and reputations?" the president threw back at them. "We always took action whenever ShadowLabs would make a move, but why is it that the current council cannot as so much come to a decision whether to take safety and protection precautions or not?" She slicked her gray hair back and frowned at the continuous flow of water cascading them from the ceiling's sprinkler system. "I am taking matters into my own hands seeing that this council that I approved of when elected is not performing according to expectation."

"But President!"

"If you wish to keep your position as part of this council then you will follow my orders," she told the stubborn man icily. "Blackthorn," she commanded, watching the blonde-haired operative come forward. "What is it that you wish to be done?"

"We only wish that we assign guards to all the friends and family of Blake after seeing that ShadowLabs used the capture of Blake's friend as a way to lure her into their trap," he reported to the president of the prestigious organization. "Blake and I also recommend that plans to take action against the remaining ShadowLabs members be started. Blake has confirmed that ShadowLabs is keeping another human experimental subject that could potentially become a weapon used against us and the rest of society."

"It will be done," the president replied. "Olivier!" she barked harshly. "Make sure you get a list of all the people related to Blake Saberhart and assign a contingent of guards to them." She looked at the beaten council members. "We begin talks on taking action against ShadowLabs tomorrow morning. We cannot afford to endanger the lives of countless people." She gave a few more icy glares at the most troublesome of the council members. "Dismissed." She let the council file out of the room before motioning for Kairos and Blake to follow her out into the hall and into a nearby but smaller conference room. "It's about that time that I beat the council for their apathetic nature," she stiffly smiled at the guardian and his charge. "I was wrong to think that they would come out of their state and get back on track."

Kairos shook his head and gratefully smiled at the president. "I'm glad that you came ma'am," he said in a relieved voice. "On my own, I was sure that I wasn't going to be able to convince the council to take action." He glanced at the soaked and still seething Blake beside him. "Perhaps if Blake had a demonstration of what happens when she gets provoked, we would have been able to convince them," he added. "Although the council's numbers would have greatly diminished if such a demonstration would have occurred."

"So the reports are true then," the leader stated. "ShadowLabs was able to successfully trigger Blake's DNA code as a weapon." She shook her head and grabbed three towels from her secretary who had just come into the room. "Don't worry. I took action as soon as the agents Kairos sent gave me their reports. I sent a team to that oil rig and there is sufficient evidence that ShadowLabs was indeed operating there. The team did not find anyone despite searching it from top to bottom. They did find two decaying and beaten bodies and several other bodies in the ocean within a two-mile radius of the oil rig."

"Damn!" Kairos cursed as he took an offered towel from the president and began to dry off. "They escaped before we could get to them! Who knows where they are now!"

The president shook her head. "We'll talk about this tomorrow. You will be there too right?" she asked Kairos. "Blake is not required to be there. As we all observed, things will definitely heat up if Blake is present. If you will excuse me, I have other matters to attend to. I set the meeting to start exactly at ten in the morning tomorrow. I will see you then." She shook hands first with Kairos then with Blake before following her secretary out of the room.

Kairos stared at the door for a few moments before turning to look at his charge. "Surprised you, didn't she?" he asked his charge. "You didn't think that the president of the Lionheart Organization would actually be here and want to attend that emergency meeting we called."

"She sure did," Blake admitted with a sigh. "I'm even more surprised that she sided with us. I expected someone of her stature and…" she paused. "Age to be more aloof and conservative," she continued.

"They wouldn't just appoint anyone to be the president of this organization," Kairos reminded. "It was your first time to meet her right?"

Blake nodded and flung her soaked hair over her shoulder. "Yeah. It's my first time to actually meet the Halley 'Steel Blossom' McQueen. I could see why they gave her that nickname," she said with a shiver. "She's probably even scarier than I am when she gets mad."

Kairos let out a bark of laughter. "You know what? You're probably right about that." He pulled Blake out of the room. "Come on, let's go home. I'm tired after all that happened today. Jez and Ash have prepared a welcome home lunch for you back at the apartment." He grinned at the raven-haired woman when they broke out of the building and headed towards their vehicles. "Don't worry, there weren't any mishaps that happened."

Blake sighed in relief and pulled her helmet down over her face. "Good. I actually miss living in our home."

* * *

It was around four in the afternoon when a frustrated Blake finally left the confines of her apartment and travelled to the Lionheart Organization's headquarters. Kairos had left hours ago to attend the talks regarding ShadowLabs and ordered Blake to stay in the apartment until he got back. Of course, Blake did not like waiting so she eventually told Jez and Ash who were conveniently with her in their apartment home that she was going to head over to headquarters to find out what happened.

She rode her Ducati to the organization and upon arriving, she was ordered to stay within the lobby area. Apparently, the president foresaw that Blake was going to do this so she had a select number of agents keep her at bay in the lobby. The agents succeeded in their job, but could not help but nervously watch the raven-haired woman pace like a frustrated tiger along the length of the lobby. She continued that waiting ritual until the clock struck six pm. Blake didn't bother to step aside as a flood of people exited the largest conference room and filed into the lobby. Kairos finally spotted her and managed to stop her from starting an argument with one of the council members.

"I told you to wait for me at home!" he hissed at his charge, dragging Blake by the arm out of the building. "Don't tell me you're expecting something to be done right away after this first talk!"

Blake growled at her guardian and pulled away from the older man's hold. "I can't help it! I'm anxious!" she told her oldest friend. "I hate it that things are taking so long! Lives are at stake!"

"You must be patient," Kairos scolded, gesturing for Blake to put on her helmet and get on her bike. "All we did today was argue with each other. I'm guessing that it'll take two to three more days before we start finalizing our plans of action."

"That long?" Blake huffed out in frustration.

Kairos raised an eyebrow at Blake. "Yes… that long! It will take time Blake. You should at least be thankful that something is being done," he reminded. "Now come on! Let's go home!" He hopped into his X5 and took the lead as they drove back to their apartment. Kairos and Blake continued their argument as soon as they parked their vehicles in their garage and on the elevator trip up to their penthouse. "Stop already Blake!" Kairos ordered, exasperated. "Can't you just accept what's been happening?"

"No I cannot!" Blake argued back as she brought out her keys and unlocked their door. "We're wasting time! If we don't do anything, ShadowLabs will-" her voice hitched in her throat when she walked into their apartment.

"Surprise!" Seven women stood around in the living room of the apartment and grinned at the stunned look on Blake's face. Kairos hid a grin as he stood behind his charge while Jez and Ash waved at Blake from inside of the kitchen.

"Why are you all here?" Blake finally managed to say after recollecting herself.

Amane stepped forward and clapped Blake on the back. "You wanted to have a reunion right? It's about time we finally had an Astraea Hill reunion!" She stepped back to let Kaname and Momomi take their turn to greet Blake.

"We haven't seen each other since you last visited my school," Kaname scolded Blake while Momomi briefly gave Blake a hug. "I was hoping you'd come visit so that we could have a sparring session for old time's sake."

Blake smiled and returned the hug of Momomi. She looked down at the older looking light-haired brunette. "When did you arrive? The last I heard, you were finishing your second degree in Japan," Blake told the former Spica student.

"Actually I just graduated last week. Kaname flew me over on the earliest flight she could find so arrived just two days ago." She stepped back and looked at Blake from head to toe. "Sempai," she started, making a face. "You've become an emo person since we last saw each other in Japan."

"Hoy!" Blake protested while the rest of her friends laughed.

"Feeling better already Blake?" Shion asked from her position on the couch. "You should inform me right away if your injuries are still bothering you. The Doc would kill me if I don't keep an eye on your injuries."

"Ara! Shion you shouldn't be acting like a doctor when we're supposed to be celebrating our reunion!" Chikaru admonished her friend. She waved at Blake and winked at her.

"Perhaps you're right," Shion said somberly. "I should be back to my old habits of constantly bickering with Miyuki-san."

Miyuki snorted as she gave Blake a hug. "Shion I believe we're a bit too old for that," she informed in a serious tone that was almost the same as the tone of voice she used back when she was still Saint Miator's student council president.

"It's hard not to start bickering with you especially when you use that tone of voice," Shion argued, breaking out in a smile. "I miss the old days."

"We all do," Shizuma put in. The platinum-haired woman walked up to Blake and hugged her affectionately. "That's why I planned this reunion so that we could all catch up. It has been five years since we were all last together." Shizuma caressed Blake's cheek with one hand before positioning herself at her lover's side and linking their arms together. "Come on! We should all eat dinner before it gets cold!" She led Blake and the rest of their friends to the dining table. Once all of them including Kairos, Jez and Ash were seated at the table and halfway done with their meal, Shizuma stood up and raised her glass. "I'd like to make a toast to our hosts Kairos and Jez who willingly volunteered their home as the venue of our reunion." She waited for the applause and cheers to subside before continuing her short speech. "I'd also like to thank all our friends for making time in their busy schedules to come to this event. It's great that we all finally got to see and spend time with each other like this just as we had done so frequently when we were still students on Astraea Hill." After another round of applause, Shizuma raised her glass into the air. "Lastly, we'd like to thank Ash for coming up with the program for tonight! Drink up!" She and the rest of her friends raised their glasses into the air and drank except for a confused looking Blake.

"Program?" The raven-haired woman inquired, lines appearing on her forehead. "There's a program?!" she almost shouted as she shot up to her feet. "What kind of reunion is this?" she demanded as Shizuma and Amane who sat on either side of her pulled her back down into her seat.

"It's nothing much Blake," Ash assured. "It's just a few games and a drinking session!"

Blake mumbled curses under her breath. "_Just_ a few games and a drinking session huh?" She looked accusingly at Ash and Jez knowing that they must have tweaked the games. Before Blake knew it, dinner was over and she was being dragged to the living room to play the first game of the night. "Do we have to?" she whined as Shizuma dragged her to sit beside her on one leather couch while the other settled themselves on the carpeted floor and the other couch.

"Don't be such a wuss!" Amane laughed. She looked up and saw Kairos backing away into his room. "You're not going to join us, Kairos-san?"

The blonde-haired guardian shook his head and smiled at the group of women. "Like Blake, I don't like playing these kinds of games. Besides," he added. "It's a girls' night out type of thing and I have work to do for tomorrow. I'll come back out when you start the drinking session." He waved to them before entering his room and shutting his door behind him.

"Oh well," Jez let out. "He's right though. It would be awkward for him to join in when all of us are girls while he's the only guy." She smiled at her girlfriend and beamed at Blake's group of friends. "So what's the first game?"

Ash fished out a scrap of paper from her back pocket and read it. "By popular demand, the first game will be the 'I Never…' game."

"Are you kidding me?!" Blake yelled. "You guys are so easy to read! I know where this is going and I refuse to play!" She got to her feet and tried to get away, but Shizuma and Amane grabbed each of her arms and pulled her back down onto the couch.

"Oh come on!" Kaname teased. "We're all older and we won't cheat like when we were still high school students." She subtly elbowed Momomi and winked at her.

Momomi giggled and gave her best smile at Blake. "Why are you worrying? We're all mature women now!" She and Kaname moved in closer in the loose circle.

Shizuma eyed her best friend from her place. "Miyuki, you're going to have to play with us this time since you skipped out on our last game."

The former student council president let out a defeated sigh. "All right Shizuma, I'll play."

"Wohoo!" Shion cried out, pumping a fist into the air. "I'm going to make Miyuki-san get her first five 'I Never's' then give her a difficult dare!"

"Ara! Still holding a grudge against your rival aren't you?" Chikaru chuckled and patted Shion playfully on the head. She looked at the rest of her friends and smiled. "I'm all right with playing in this game. It's rather fun and entertaining."

"Let's start then!" Jez said excitedly, leaning forward and eying the other women. "Who should go first?" she asked. "Why don't you go first Momomi?" All the women focused their gazes at the brunette as she looked thoughtful for a few moments.

"Momomi," Kaname whispered and gently elbowed her lover. "Don't think too hard!"

The light-haired brunette frowned at Kaname. "I know that!" she told her lover then turned to return the looks of her friends. "Alright! I never been to New York since I arrived here two days ago!" She could not hide her grin when the trademark scowl appeared on Blake's face as she raised her hand. Aside from Blake, Ash and Jez raised their hands because they've been in New York ever since."

"This better not be going to _that_," Blake growled menacingly as she put down her hand.

"Oh don't be such a sore loser Blake!" Jez reached out from her seat on the carpeted floor and slapped Blake's knee playfully. "It's just a game and you're thinking way ahead of yourself that your friends are all plotting against you!"

"Alright my turn!" Shion exclaimed. "I never have been married or have kids!"

"Tomori-san," Miyuki said ominously, but raised her hand in the air since she was the only one who was married and had children. "So that's one for me. I'll go next!" She smiled sweetly at Shion and batted her eyelashes at her. "I never attempted to fix my hair to make my forehead look smaller."

"What?!" Shion roared and lunged at Miyuki. She didn't get far because Chikaru hung around her waist. "Why you stuck-up, prissy-"

"Shion," Shizuma warned and watched the young doctor settle back in her seat. "It's just a game and besides you deserved that." She and the other laughed at what had just transpired. "So who's next?"

They played for ten more rounds each participant getting a turn to state something that she has never done. By the end of the tenth round, these were the tallied scores: Jez, Shizuma, Blake and Kaname each had a score of 5, Ash, Miyuki and Momomi each had a score of 4, Shion with 3 and Chikaru with 2. It was Kaname's turn again for the 11th round and she had Shion, Momomi and Miyuki gathered around her, whispering to each other.

After a few seconds, Kaname finally emerged from their discussion while Shion and Miyuki went back to their seats. "Ok… I never had sex this week." All the girls in their circle became silent as they tried to comprehend what Kaname had just said. After a few more moments of silence, Shizuma finally let out a sigh and raised her hand in the air.

"Ara! Shizuma-san had sex just recently?" Chikaru asked, mischief playing in her chocolate-brown eyes.

Jez shook her head ruefully while her girlfriend struggled to hide her laughter. "Even Ash and I haven't done it this week," she informed the group, looking sidelong at her girlfriend.

"Same here," Kaname admitted while Momomi nodded her head in confirmation. They all looked at Miyuki and waited for her to answer.

"Don't look at me like that!" Miyuki told her friends hotly and tried to conceal the redness on her cheeks. "I haven't done it with Jin alright? It's a bit hard to do especially when your son is a light sleeper." That startled more laughter from the other women. "How about you Shion? Have you had sex recently?" She looked at her rival then looked at Chikaru.

Shion raised her hands up in defense. "Hey! Why are you looking at Chikaru and me like that? We're not in that kind of relationship!" she insisted. "And no I haven't had sex in the past week!" There was a furious blush spreading on her face.

"Same goes with me," Chikaru added with a smile.

"And me," Amane added. "Hikari-chan is still in Japan," she explained.

"So…" Jez drawled and directed her gaze at Shizuma and a certain raven-haired woman who sat beside her. "Is it just Shizuma who had sex recently?" She scowled when Blake didn't react. "Shizuma may we ask who you did it with this past week?"

Shizuma let out another sigh then smiled ruefully at her friends. "Is there still a need for me to tell you it was I did it with?" she asked. "I'm sure all of you pretty much know who it is."

"We'd just like for her to abide to the rules of this game and raise her hand if she has had sex this week," Amane shared casually, looking at her fingernails. The rest of them waited for what seemed like an eternity until Blake finally raised her hand up in the air. The group of women all hooted, cheered and pointed their fingers at Blake and Shizuma as the raven-haired woman tried to contain the spread of crimson on her face.

"Enough already," Blake growled. "I already admitted it alright so just cut it out! Can we get on to the consequence already?"

"I got one." Kaname smirked. "There's no escaping this one Blake. This time you really have to give us a show! You got to kiss Shizuma and I mean it has to be a real kiss!" The young teacher grinned as the rest of her friends cried out their agreement.

Blake shook her head, leaned back against the leather couch and crossed her arms over her chest. "No way! I'm not going to do that in front of all of you so just bug -- Mmpphh!"

The women all hooted, cheered and laughed when Shizuma jumped onto the lap of her lover and passionately pressed her lips onto Blake's. They could all see and hear the seriousness of their kiss as Shizuma continued her assault on her lover. When she finally pulled away, their friends all stared in awe at how Shizuma was able to reduce Blake into a speechless and dazed state.

"That was definitely worth it!" Kaname shared giddily.

"Yeah! I agree!" Jez chorused with Ash, Shion and Chikaru. "Let's do Truth or Dare next!"

"Oh no…" Blake muttered, rubbing her temples tiredly. "No more please!"

"Who says you have a choice?" Shion asked evilly.

So the ten women started the new game with much enthusiasm. Each of them had a chance to target a particular person and was successful in making them reveal a truth or do a dare. Shion got Miyuki to admit that she had been crushing on Shizuma back when they were still high school students while Miyuki got Shion to admit that she only teased the blue-haired woman because she was secretly crushing on her too. Jez dared Chikaru to act out a part of Twelfth Night with Amane, which they did beautifully.

It was Ash who started giving out the X-rated dares by daring Kaname to get Momomi all hot and bothered without taking her clothes off. As Kaname tried to accomplish her task, the rest of the group ganged up on Blake once more and dared her to give Shizuma a hickey just above her right breast. It took ten minutes to get Blake to submit to the dare, but she eventually did it when Shizuma unbuttoned the first three buttons of her shirt and offered herself up to Blake. After Blake had successfully given her lover a hickey and Kaname had made Momomi horny with desire, the group decided to bring out the alcohol and play cards. This time Kairos came out of his room to join them in drinking and playing cards. None of them seemed to notice that Blake had slipped away and had gone to the balcony to stare at the night sky.

Shizuma finally realized that her lover was missing after refilling her glass with alcohol. She easily found her lover and stepped outside into the chilly autumn air to stand at Blake's side. "Why are you out here? Is something wrong?" She pressed the side of her body into Blake's hoping to get some body heat.

Blake shook her head. "It's nothing," she mumbled.

"Blake," Shizuma warned.

"Alright! It's just that…" she hesitated. "It's just that I feel so distracted despite this reunion you set up." She shuffled her feet on the ground. "I'm worried about ShadowLabs. What if they suddenly decide to kidnap our other friends or Kairos or Jez? What if they suddenly decide to attack us?" She looked up at the night sky. "What if you get caught in the crossfire and you get taken away from me again?" She shook her head. "I don't know what to do if that happens."

Shizuma shifted Blake's body so that she could hug Blake from the front. "Please don't worry yourself like this!" she pleaded. "The future is important but what really matters is now." She pulled away slightly and looked up into the somber face of her lover. "I'll always be by your side, Blake." She whispered, standing on her tiptoes, closing her eyes and pursing her lips.

"As will I, Shizuma…" Blake replied, wrapping her arms around her lover's back. "As will I," she repeated before letting her lips descend upon her lover's lush and hungry lips.

* * *

**_finally! another update! sorry about that1 i've been really busy with school. it's my last 3 weeks and things are really starting to pile up. i have 3 papers due all within the next two weeks and i have final exams in the the third week. once my vacation starts, i'll be sure to try harder to update faster. i have decided to take summer classes just for the sake of being advanced. it's my last year in university and things are getting pretty hectic so as much as possible i don't want to have a fully loaded senior year. i'll be doing thesis sometime this school year so hopefully by that time, i'll be done with this story. _**

_**anyway, as all of you noticed. i made changes to chapter 20 and 21. hopefully it didn't change much. i really appreciate the increase in reviews though. :)**_ _**i recently had a reviewer asking me if i could give a sketch of how Blake looks like but i seriously have no talent when it comes to drawing. i'm talented in the musical kind. hehe. Anyway, i did some research and i found the closest person that would almost look like Blake. just go to this site on my profile page.  
**_

_**The girl in that article is a character named sara in a videogame called Need For Speed Carbon: Own the City. That's the best i could do for now. If i can manage to get a hold of my friend who's a great artist, i'll try asking her to make a sketch for me. The picture may not be enough so you could check out this youtube video, the link is on my profile page. it's a "movie" scene from the videogame (i played it recently) and hopefully it'll give you an idea of how she Blake looks like. You just have to imagine sara (the girl in the picture and youtube video with black hair, gray eyes and has a harder look on her face)**_

_**alaeri: did i give you an ego-trip by doing that? hahaha! sorry, but i did mention to you that i value your reviews and opinions the most. good news though, there'll be one more sex scene. :)  
**_

_**tasha: glad i could be of help. i just updated how Blake sort of looks like.**_

_**someone: so far so good i guess? thanks for the compliment :) i'm glad that you see my story that way. you'll find out more about leon in the last few chapters of this story. about Blake's mom, well i guess i did make them seem too close comfortable with each other. i apologize for that.**_

_**vampknight364: it's alright. you didn't make me feel bad or anything. i just came to my senses after reading a few reviews. :)**_

_**angelkruger: i'm flattered that you think my work is one of the best in this site. definitely boosts my ego! hahaha! i'm sure you can write pretty well too. it just takes some practice. i never really wrote well back then and i only developed it a few years back. i went on a writer's block for a couple of years then started to write again less than a year ago so i believe you'll be a great writer too!**_

_**yurilover90: thanks i appreciate it that you feel the plot and story line are smooth and coherent. yeah about Blake and her mom, well i did make them too comfortable with each other so i apologize for that. **_

_**next chapter: the talks keep going, chaperoning a school dance and a day at the beach. **_


	23. Wishful Thinking

_**A word of warning to the readers,**_

_**This chapter is rated M for sexual scenes.**_

* * *

_Chapter 23: Wishful Thinking_

Things weren't progressing as quickly as Kairos wanted. It was the third day of talks regarding the matter on ShadowLabs and things weren't looking up despite having the famed Halley "Steel Blossom" McQueen on his side. Even the president of the Lionheart Organization was having enough trouble keeping the talks orderly and under control while trying to get the council to take action. Kairos on the other hand could barely muster a few words to the council before being forced to silence by the council members' scalding glares and discriminating lectures.

"Please list down your reasons why we shouldn't act now and prevent a dangerous situation caused by ShadowLabs?" Halley McQueen patiently asked the council, her fingers drumming the hard wood surface of her desk. "And do it one at a time," she added with a frown on her face.

A man raised his hand and cleared his throat. "President, you must understand that we cannot take action or to be more specific," he told the audience, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Our organization cannot be the one to make the first move."

"Please explain," The president ordered.

"ShadowLabs may be our organization's top enemy, but our beliefs and principles are that of pacifists," he explained, drawing himself up to look important. "Taking action against ShadowLabs would entail taking up arms, sending men to war and the inevitable loss of lives. The Lionheart Organization's principles are against that."

"So you're implying that we simply allow ShadowLabs to continue their operations and be the first to take action against us and the rest of society?" Kairos demanded, his voice shaking in fury.

The man looked condescendingly at the guardian. "Better that we let ShadowLabs do that instead of looking like war-obsessed individuals. At least if they do take action against us, we'll be able to follow up on a counter attack and make sure that we use the right resources and prevent any unnecessary damage or loss of life."

"Do you even realize that there will be unnecessary damage and loss of life if we choose to remain silent and let ShadowLabs make the first attack? That would be an even worse breach of this organization's beliefs and principles!" Kairos argued back.

"Blackthorn," Halley warned, signaling him to calm down. To the council member who had spoken first, she said, "I understand that you wish to uphold our principles, but this isn't the kind of situation that can be easily resolved through the methods you just proposed." She looked seriously at the council before her. "I asked for reasons why we should not take action against ShadowLabs so from now on, give me reasons that are justifiable."

Another man stood up. "I agree with Blackthorn that simply waiting for ShadowLabs to act would be a greater danger to us and the rest of society," he started. "However, we must think about how we will go about taking initiative as we face the current situation that we have no idea where the remnants of ShadowLabs are." He looked at his papers. "Plans like this would obviously be very expensive in the form of currency and manpower. At present, the fact that we lack information on their whereabouts would further entail added costs supposing that we do plan to take action against them," he explained. "Right now, our treasury is perilously low and we must accept reality that we won't be able to fund such activity."

Kairos' hands clenched into fists on top of his desk. He had not thought about the treasury of the organization and planning to take action against ShadowLabs would definitely burn bigger holes in the already low treasury. But something had to be done and they were just wasting time.

A female member of the council stood up this time. "We may be known for our pacifist methods, but now is not the right time to apply these methods," she informed. "I believe that we must make the first move," she continued, seeing that majority of the council except for a few members nodded their heads in agreement. "As for the problem about funding, the situation with ShadowLabs is not our organization's problem alone. We must seek aid from other authorities like the government. They too know the hazards of dealing with an organization like ShadowLabs and they most certainly won't stand aside while they wreak havoc."

"It's settled then," the president told her council. "We will definitely stage an attack against ShadowLabs after we have informed the government and other parties that should be involved in this matter. I will not tolerate lack of cooperation from any of you," she glared at the minority of council members who were against her most recent decision. "If that is all then this meeting has come to an end."

Kairos stayed in his seat as the rest of the council filed out of the room. He was glad that the council finally came to a decision and he wanted to express his thanks to the president who sided with him. He approached the formidable woman with apprehension knowing that their president was infamous for figuratively biting the heads off her members.

"Save your thanks until after this whole mess is over," Halley McQueen advised the young man with a hint of scorn still in her voice. It was apparent that she was still angry with the few council members who had put up a fight regarding the matter they had been discussing for the past few days. "I could see why your charge's temper easily flares when she is surrounded by this organization's council." She rubbed her aching temples and regarded Kairos with a serious look. "How is Saberhart anyway?"

Kairos thought for a moment before giving an answer. "She's…" he paused, trying to look for the right word. "Recovering," he finished. "Her last encounter with ShadowLabs was probably the worst case yet ever since being rescued from the organization ten years ago. If it weren't for her other friends, it would have been harder for her to cope and recover." The blonde-haired man stuffed his hands into his pockets. "In any case, she's doing rather well especially after discovering her biological mother and being reunited with her friends from back in her school days in Japan." He could not help but smile, remembering how he had observed frequent sightings of his charge being more cheerful these days.

"That's good to hear, Blackthorn," the president told the agent. "For now, I want you to monitor Saberhart and everyone else that is closely related to her. I just received a report from the contingent of guards I assigned to each of her friends and family." She glanced at her papers. "Nothing unusual according to the guards and they are well accounted for." She raised her eyebrows at the hint of a frown that appeared on the agent's face. "Don't tell me you do not trust the abilities of the guards we assigned to your charge's friends and family," Halley McQueen told Kairos incredulously. "Need you be reminded who trained these guards in this particular line of work?"

Kairos grinned ruefully and shook his head. The president was right after all about that. He shouldn't be worrying about the quality of work from the contingent of guards because he himself was the one who trained them. "A reminder won't be necessary," he assured the older woman. "Is there anything that you wish for me to do before I take my leave?"

"Only that you watch yourself and your charge carefully," Halley stated sternly. "We never know when ShadowLabs will strike. It could possibly be the end if ShadowLabs manages to get a hand on Blake and unleash her fierce power to the world alongside with that other experimental subject they are holding." She walked to the open door and looked over her shoulder to gaze at the blonde-haired agent. "We must also entertain the possibility that your charge may go raring off on her own again. I will hold you liable if that were to happen," she threatened.

Kairos gulped and shook his head vigorously. "I assure you ma'am," he told the president nervously. "That won't happen again. One experience is enough for me to learn my lesson." He held his breath as the gray-haired woman continued to stare at him.

"Make sure you keep Saberhart within your grip. Put her on a leash if necessary," the woman nicknamed the "Steel Blossom" reminded the guardian. She then stalked out of the room to handle other matters in her private office on the upper floors of the Lionheart Organization building.

Kairos let out his held breath in a rush of air. "God! Must she always be so threatening?" he wondered aloud. "Just glaring like that and making such a simple threat can actually skin a person alive!" He gathered his things and walked out of the large conference room, making sure to turn all the lights off before stepping out into the hallway. "I bet she does realize that it isn't easy for me to keep Blake on a leash even if it's for her own good." He thought back to the numerous times he had tried to keep his charge under control, but would almost always result to failure. "It's easier said than done," he muttered, nodding goodbyes to his associates in the main lobby. He walked briskly towards the open parking lot of the organization and hopped into his X5.

Kairos wanted to get home as quickly as possible to tell Blake of the good news. Traffic wasn't as bad as usual so he got home in less than twenty minutes. After parking the car in their apartment's garage, the blonde-haired guardian grabbed his suitcase and boarded the elevator, punching the penthouse button and carelessly leaning against the metal walls as the elevator jerked upward. Once the doors hissed open, Kairos leisurely walked towards their apartment door with the key already held in his hand. If he remembered correctly, Jez was going to be out the whole day with Ash and may or may not come home depending on her mood. Kairos was sure that Blake was going to be home after strictly ordering her to stay put and not get into trouble. His order of course was complied with but was accompanied with a lot of scowling from the raven-haired woman. Shoulders aching, Kairos stepped into their spacious apartment and looked around for his charge. He dropped his coat and case on the couch and was about to shout for his charge when he heard movement from inside the kitchen. He stealthily moved to the kitchen door and peeked to see what was going on.

Just as he thought, it was his charge with the additional presence of a familiar long platinum-haired woman. Blake and her lover were standing side by side by the counter, preparing what looked to be like dinner for later on. Kairos noted down with interest that his charge was wearing loose and thin black cloth pants and a white wifebeater shirt. He was all the more amused that Blake was walking around barefoot despite the cold weather making the kitchen floor icy. Shizuma on the other hand was clad in jeans, a simple green long sleeved shirt and her feet were neatly shod in slippers. Kairos leaned against the doorframe and raised his eyebrows when Shizuma leaned over on her tiptoes and whispered something in his charge's suddenly red ear. Shaking his head and hiding a bemused smile, Kairos cleared his throat. Just as he expected Blake snapped around, her storm-gray eyes wild and blazing with embarrassment.

"Kairos," Blake stuttered, clearing her throat in an attempt to compose herself. It wasn't an easy task with Shizuma smiling seductively at her. "When did you get back?" she asked him, her voice still a bit shaky. "And how long have you been there?"

"I just got back." Kairos smiled sweetly at his charge and cheerfully waved at Shizuma. "And it's been around half a minute since I started standing here," he answered the second question. Ignoring the harried look on Blake's face, Kairos walked over and looked at the work Shizuma and his charge had been doing. "Dinner?" He looked surprised. "You rarely put on an apron and get behind the stove," Kairos pointed out, scanning the finishing stages of what looked to be a salad and steaming stew atop the stove.

"Jez called a while ago and said she won't be coming home so I decided to prepare dinner myself," Blake replied, finally getting her feelings under control. "I thought it was a good idea especially since you've been coming home tired from the talks at the organization," she added.

Kairos nodded his thanks and leaned against the refrigerator. "So who would like to explain Shizuma's presence?" he asked with a wide grin.

Shizuma chuckled and briefly caressed the flaming cheek of her lover. "It was an impromptu visit, Kairos-san," she told the amused guardian. It seemed that she and the blonde-haired man shared one common passion: to embarrass Blake for fun. "I knew that Blake was susceptible of being alone today especially with the frequent escapades of Jez and Ash, so I dropped by without notice and surprised Blake."

"Well," Kairos began, resting his fingers on his chin. "It definitely turned out to be a great impromptu visit. Blake here wasn't lonely while we were gone and you're here to make sure Blake doesn't make a mess of dinner."

"Hoy! I'm not that bad a cook!" Blake retorted, a scowl breaking onto her face. The said scowl slowly faded with the slight touch from Shizuma. "Well… I did have some help since cooking really isn't my kind of thing."

"Some help?" Shizuma questioned, elbowing her elbow painfully in the ribs. "All you did was chop up the ingredients while I did all the measuring and cooking!" She turned around and stirred the stew. "This looks about ready," she told everyone. To Blake she ordered, "Go finish that salad and bring it to the dining room table. I'll handle the stew."

While Shizuma spooned ladlefuls of stew into a large bowl, Blake and her guardian were preparing the dining room table in the other room. "I bet you were just waiting for Shizuma to do something even more daring," Blake hissed at her guardian from the other end of the table.

Kairos looked innocently at his charge. "Come now Blake! Do you honestly expect your dearest friend and guardian to do that?" He smiled knowingly at the young woman. "I did clear my throat and caught your attention soon after Shizuma made her move. I merely wanted you two to reserve that kind of thing between yourselves... _in private_." He ignored the icy glare given to him. "Good thing the two of you were indoors. Just think of all the heads that the two of you would turn," he joked. "Not to mention the nosebleeds!" He jumped aside as a vicious arm swipe flew across the area he was in before evading the attack.

"Not funny Kairos," Blake growled through gritted teeth. "Even when we were still back on Astraea Hill, Shizuma and I never encountered any girls having nosebleeds because of the things she did." She finished arranging the plates and utensils on the table.

"What about nosebleeds?" Shizuma asked, coming into the dining room and setting the steaming bowl of stew on the table.

"Oh Blake is prone to getting nosebleeds whenever there's a sudden change in weather," Kairos lied, subtly winking at his charge. "Some people get headaches and even get sick, but Blake here gets nosebleeds instead." He plopped himself down into a chair and eagerly waited for Blake and Shizuma to do the same so that they could start eating.

Shizuma gave Blake a strange look. "That's… interesting," Shizuma commented, pretending not to notice the light tint of red on her lover's face. Lightly smiling, she began to fill smaller bowls with stew and passed them around to each person on the table. "So how was your day Kairos-san?" she asked after all of them were served with food.

The blonde-haired man swallowed down his food and gulped down a glass of water before answering the question. "Pretty well," he replied, looking at Blake. "The talks regarding ShadowLabs ended today." Kairos noticed his charge straighten in her seat.

"What decision was made?" the raven-haired woman asked.

Kairos refilled his glass with water. "As I said, things went pretty well today," he rearticulated. "The council has decided that we will take action against ShadowLabs after informing other important parties who should be involved and would want to help us with our cause."

Blake smiled and leaned her elbows lightly on the table's surface. "Pretty good progress after four days of non-stop talks and dealing with a stubborn council. You're getting pretty good with these diplomatic stuff."

Kairos laughed. "At least you weren't required to attend the meeting, which would entail meeting and dealing with the Steel Blossom," he told his charge. "I swear the looks she gives can kill people." He shuddered as he remembered his recent encounter with the intimidating woman. "Never disobey her orders and don't get on her bad side," he shared with good intentions.

Just then, the doorbell rang. "Strange," Blake commented, dabbing at the corners of her mouth with her table napkin and pushing herself away from the table. "We shouldn't be expecting any guests at this time. I wonder who it could be?" She walked to door and pulled it open to reveal a disheveled Kaname. "Kaname? Come inside and let me get you a drink." Blake ushered her friend into the apartment and sat her on the dining room table as she went inside the kitchen to get a spare glass and fill it with water.

"Kenjou-san, what brings you here?" Shizuma asked as Blake came back and set the glass of water in front of the dark-haired high school teacher. She smiled at her lover for being considerate and waited for Kaname to answer.

"I was visiting my uncle who owns a taekwondo dojo in this area and I decided to drop by and ask for a favor," Kaname finally replied after downing her glass of water. "There's this school dance tomorrow night at the Wayland's School for Young Men and Women and we, the faculty are experiencing a sudden shortage of teachers to chaperone. Actually, that's an understatement," Kaname corrected herself. "Right now, there's only me and Momomi who'll be chaperoning around 150 students and we cannot possibly do that on our own."

"So you're asking if Blake and I could come and chaperone the dance?" Shizuma guessed.

"Pretty much," Kaname replied. "Actually, I've already asked Shion, Chikaru and Amane to help me out and they agreed so with you and Blake as additions to our team, everything will definitely turn out alright." Kaname looked at the couple with pleading eyes. "Will you help me?"

Before Blake could answer, Shizuma had already beaten her by agreeing. "Of course we'll be glad to help you out."

The raven-haired woman frowned at Shizuma then turned her attentions at Kaname. "I suppose this would entail dressing up?" she asked sullenly. Blake couldn't help but feel that way after living with Jez who had forced her on several occasions to dress up extravagantly for the past five years. She was hoping she could convince Kaname to let her wear her usual comfortable but still formal clothes, but she could already see the evil glint in the former Spica student's eyes.

"It's a formal event Blake," Kaname informed the older woman. "As much as I myself would want to wear dress pants and a nice blouse, I cannot because there are certain rules and principles we must follow especially in a prestigious private school." Kaname kept a straight face and tried not to laugh at the reaction of Blake. "Unfortunately, you'll have to wear a dress," she said grimly.

Blake cursed under her breath. "I don't even remember the last time I wore a dress!"

"It wasn't such a long time ago Blake," Kairos quipped. "Remember we had to attend the wedding of my cousin? She absolutely did not want to tolerate any guests wearing improper attire so Jez got you to wear one of her simple dresses for the event."

"How can someone call that dress simple when it barely covered my legs and my back?" Blake muttered. "Not to mention those heels almost killed my feet," she added with scorn.

Kaname laughed. "Come on Blake! I swear it won't be as bad and this time I'll make sure you wear a dress that's to your liking. I've already asked Jez to get you something comfortable and stylish." She looked at Blake and Shizuma pleadingly. "Please help me out. I don't do well with chaperoning kids."

Shizuma gently nudged Blake from underneath the table. "It won't be that bad," she assured Blake. "I'm sure Jez would pick out a dress that you would like and at least we'll be together." She twined their fingers together. "With our friends too of course," she added with a smile to Kaname.

Blake sighed and bowed down her head in defeat. "I'll do it." She looked up with a grim look on her face. "I can't say I'll enjoy it though."

"Don't worry," Kaname told her friend. "To make up for this impromptu favor, Momomi and I planned a girls' night out at our fully paid for house on the beach front. So right after the dance is done, we'll all head over to my place and spend the night there." She grinned at Blake. "I already prepared for it and expect a lot of booze."

The raven-haired woman felt a little relieved from the difficult favor she had just accepted. "That's great then as long as we won't be playing any of _those _games again," Blake informed the younger woman.

Kaname nodded. "I'll see what I can do. Also, I had a training room built in our home so it would be good if we could spar after spending the night." She ran a hand through her disheveled hair. "I've been dying to have a sparring session with you just to see if you're still as good as you were before or if you've improved."

Blake grinned. "I'll be happy to take you up on that offer."

Kaname grinned back and glanced at the nearby wall clock. "I have to get going," she told her friends. "I told Momomi that it would just take me a while to convince you and Shizuma to join in this chaperoning gig, but I ended up extending my time at my uncle's dojo." She got up and followed Blake to the door. "You still remember how to get to the school right? It's going to be held in the gymnasium, the same place we met when you first visited." When Blake nodded, Kaname clapped Blake firmly on the shoulder and briefly hugged her. "Great! I'll be expecting you at seven pm sharp tomorrow!" With that, she left the penthouse in a purposeful stride.

Blake returned to the dining room to see Kairos and Shizuma cleaning up. "I was hoping to just stay at home tomorrow since the organization has banned me from going to work," she confided in her friends. The president of the Lionheart Organization had specifically ordered Blake an indefinite leave from work, which left Blake to stay at home.

Kairos laughed at his charge. "Don't tell me you're not bored out of your wits staying here at home! Chaperoning a school dance is at least something fun to do," he told Blake while ferrying dishes to the kitchen sink. "Not to mention, you'll be having a sleepover at Kaname and Momomi's home."

The three of them cleared the table and made quick work of washing and drying the dishes. After everything seemed to be in order, Kairos went to their living room and grabbed his coat and suitcase. He first walked to the hall closet to hang his coat then head to his room.

"Work, Kairos?" Blake asked as she and Shizuma settled down on the couch.

The blonde-haired man nodded. "After deciding what to do with ShadowLabs, I've been given a lot of work to do especially since I'm one of the authorities in the military sector of the organization," he explained. "Is Shizuma going to spend the night?" He watched Blake and Shizuma shake their heads. "Make sure you accompany Shizuma down to her car and check if the guard I assigned to her is there," he advised them. "You have already seen the guard assigned to you, right?" he asked the platinum-haired woman.

"I have," Shizuma replied. "He keeps his distance though. I can still easily tell that it's him because he wears a suit, shades and wears an ear piece. He also drives in a black Lexus car."

"Good," Kairos commented, approving the work of his trainees. "Don't forget what I said. I'll see the two of you tomorrow I suppose." He walked into his room and closed the door behind him.

"Kairos is a good guardian," Shizuma pointed. "I was surprised that he really followed through with assigning each of us with guards to protect us from ShadowLabs."

Blake nodded and leaned back against the leather couch. "He worries about me and he also worries for my friends. I think he really got ahead of himself because he wants to protect what little I have now." She felt Shizuma lean back and rest her head on her shoulder. "I tend to lose things so easily because of my background and you should know that fact the most after what happened five years ago."

Shizuma nodded her head and snuggled closer to her lover. "Yes I know," she replied. "You were taken away by the Lionheart Organization to both protect you and all the people who had gotten involved with you on Astraea Hill." She tilted her head up and locked eyes with Blake. "I can see why Kairos is adamant about protecting you." Shizuma lifted her hand and rested it on Blake's cheek. She drew herself slightly upward so that their faces would be only mere inches apart. "I probably would be just as willing to protect you." She smiled and touched their foreheads together.

The raven-haired woman softly smiled and tangled her hands in the long and luscious hair of her lover. "That's all I need to know Shizuma," she whispered huskily before dipping down to capture her lover's lush lips in her own. The first kiss was simple and lasted for a few seconds. Blake pulled away then resettled her lips on Shizuma's, pulling their bodies closer and initiating a sweeter kiss between them. Heat travelled from Blake's lips to her head then down to her stomach as their kiss continued. She could vaguely feel Shizuma's hands twining around her torso and pressing against her back. In response, the raven-haired woman reached up with one hand and rested it behind Shizuma's neck, gently pulling her closer so that she could angle their lips together and further deepen the kiss. It seemed like hours when they finally broke apart for much needed air. Blake was breathing hard as Shizuma sucked in air for a few moments before leaning forward, pressing a hand on Blake's chest and pushing her against the couch. "Hoy! We-we shouldn't be going too far," Blake said nervously as the platinum-haired woman moved closer and began to nip at her bared neck.

"Leave me be, Blake," Shizuma let out, in between kisses along the length of Blake's neck. "I can't get enough of you as it is." She gently licked a sensitive spot on Blake's neck, smiling at the sudden intake of breath from the other woman. She was about to continue her ministrations when she felt two hands solidly plant themselves on her shoulders and push her away. Shizuma frowned at her lover.

"Shizuma," Blake warned, all seriousness now. "You said that you were going to head home," she reminded.

Shizuma sighed and got up from the couch. "You're no fun at all," she told Blake. "I had things planned out tonight, but of all days you had to be principled tonight!" She grabbed her coat from the hall closet and waited for Blake to get to her side. "Accompany me downstairs?"

Blake nodded and opened the door for them. As they boarded the elevator, she felt Shizuma slip her hand into her own. Blake gently squeezed her lover's hand just as the elevator doors slid open. "So will I pick you up tomorrow?" Blake asked her lover as she accompanied her to her car.

Shizuma shook her head. "Jez and I have some work to do tomorrow so I'll be in the area. I'll just bring my dress and my other stuff for the sleepover at Kaname's and get dressed at your place." She boarded her car, ignited the engines and rolled down her window. "I'll be here around five in the afternoon or so." She stuck her head out of the window and tilted her face upward. "Well?" she demanded.

Blake broke into a grin and leaned down to kiss her lover goodbye. She pulled away and waved goodbye as Shizuma backed out of her parking space and drove down the road. Blake stayed a bit longer outside and spotted the familiar black Lexus car come out of an alleyway and follow Shizuma's car. Only then did she head back into her apartment.

* * *

Blake stood there scowling at her reflection in the mirror. It was quarter to six in the afternoon the next day and she had not expected Jez to pull a move like that on her. She only expected the streaked blonde-haired designer to give her the dress and loan her some shoes, but she didn't expect the younger Blackthorn sibling to bring along a hairstylist. The hairstylist had cut her hair and styled it giving her a look that resembled that of a rock star. Blake wasn't upset with the development because she had been intending to have her hair cut for quite some time now. She could see through the mirror that her new hairstyle fit her perfectly. Her hair still fell to one side except that now, she had bangs that fell neatly down her face and would cover her left eye if she doesn't sweep it to the side. Her hair at the back was cut short until the nape of her neck while the rest of her straight raven black hair that framed her face was kept long, falling past her collarbone.

"Don't be upset Jez," Kairos told his younger sister. "Blake may look annoyed, but I'm sure she actually likes the haircut you got her." He grinned at the still scowling Blake while Jez hid a smile. "Shizuma should be just about ready," he told them. The platinum-haired woman had come together with Jez and excused herself into Blake's room to get ready for the dance.

"Blake come to my room and I'll help you get into your dress," Jez told the raven-haired woman who obediently stood up and followed Jez into her room. "This better not be a dress similar to that dress you loaned me back at your cousin's wedding," Blake muttered as she closed the door behind her.

Kairos settled down on the couch, took his laptop from the table and settled it on his lap. He may be having fun watching his charge get all made up, but he still had work to do. He was halfway done with making one particular strategy to deal with ShadowLabs when he heard Blake's door open. Kairos looked up and let out a wide smile. "Well, look what we have here!" he exclaimed, putting his laptop aside and getting to his feet. "Beautiful isn't enough to describe how you look tonight Shizuma," he complimented as the platinum-haired woman walked out of the room and into the living room.

Shizuma was indeed beautiful. She wore a crimson colored cocktail dress that fell just above her knees. The dress' skirts flared out towards the bottom while the collar of the dress exposed an expanse of bared shoulders and the top of her bosom. Instead of her usual hairdo, Shizuma had opted to tie her hair in a low ponytail, a handful of platinum locks still let lose to frame her slender face. On one wrist, she wore a large silver bangle and in the other hand, she held a simple handbag. "You flatter me, Kairos-san," she told the older man with a shy smile.

Kairos smiled back. "Why don't you sit? Blake went into Jez's room a few moments ago to get changed into her dress." He patted the vacant place beside him on the couch. "I actually can't wait to see Blake when she comes out," he admitted to Shizuma after the young woman sat beside him.

"I feel the same way," Shizuma shared. "I have never seen Blake in a dress or in heels. Not to mention with make-up on," she added with a small grin. "Jez had Blake's hair cut and styled right?"

Kairos nodded. "Blake may have not looked like it, but she appreciated the haircut very much." Jez's door creaked open and he could hear his sister's voice from inside. "Speaking of which, they should be coming out now." Kairos and Shizuma stood up as Jez walked out of the room and was coaxing Blake outside.

"Come on now Blake! Just come outside already so that you could see yourself in the mirror," Jez told the raven-haired woman who was still inside her room.

"This feels weird," Blake complained from inside the room. "I can manage these two-inch heels, but everything else just feels weird."

Jez let out an exasperated sigh. "You can't be the judge of your own appearance so just come out and we'll tell you if you look alright." She crossed her arms and waited outside with Kairos and Shizuma for what seemed like a full minute. Finally, they heard footsteps and watched as the woman they knew as Blake come out of the room with a nervous look on her face. Jez had picked well. The black dress Blake wore was simple and stylish at the same time. The dress wasn't that loose and wasn't that tight, but it hugged Blake's figure just right. The dress was held up by halters tied around Blake's neck and there was a hidden zipper on the dress' back. It was a v-necked style dress and exposed quite a bit of Blake's bosom and the length of the dress fell just two inches above Blake's knees. On her feet were two-inch high heels, which surprisingly looked quite comfortable for Blake. Despite the event they were attending was formal, Blake opted to wear all her piercings on her ears explaining to Jez that it would keep her grounded.

"What?" Blake asked the three people who stood staring at her. "Could you stop staring?" she muttered, her face burning from embarrassment. "It's making me uncomfortable." She shifted her weight from one foot to another.

Kairos cleared his throat. "Well, this is certainly a day I should remember," he exclaimed. "It's the first time I've actually seen Blake so lady-like."

Jez walked to her brother's side. "That's why I brought out my camera so that we could take pictures to commemorate this day." The designer took her camera and motioned for Shizuma to go to Blake. "Come on you two! Smile for the camera!" She stood poised to take the picture as Shizuma walked to Blake's side and linked their arms together. It would have been a good series of pictures if not for the scowl present on Blake's face in each picture.

"Are we done?" Blake demanded, rubbing her arms. "We have to get going if we're to be at the Wayland's School for Young Men and Women by seven." She tugged Shizuma to the hall closet and brought out their coats. It was starting to get chilly especially since it was early November.

"Take my X5 Blake," Kairos ordered his charge, flinging his car keys at her. "You wouldn't be thinking of riding your Ducati bike to the dance tonight?" He grinned as his charge caught the keys and muttered something inaudible. "Your attire and hair will get messed up, so go ahead and take my SUV. I just filled her up with gas this morning."

Blake nodded and put on her coat. She then grabbed her small duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder. "I'll do that Kairos," she told her guardian before tugging Shizuma out into the hallway and got into the elevator. She looked at Shizuma and noticed that she was still gazing at her with an unreadable look in her amber orbs. "Why are you still looking at me like that?" she asked, feeling a bit annoyed.

Shizuma shook her head and smiled. "I can't help but do that because you look amazing!" she told the older woman. "I wish I could have you dress up like this every once in a while." She let out a wistful sigh and gazed longingly at her lover.

The elevator door opened into the various car garages. Blake and Shizuma walked to Kairos' BMW X5 and stored their thing into the backseat before hopping into the driver's seat and passenger seat respectively. "I'd rather not get this dressed up every once in a while," she said with a shudder. "Buckle up. We'll get to the school in around an hour without any traffic."

It was a little past seven when Blake drove into the sprawling estates of the prestigious private school. Shizuma took a short nap throughout the ride and when Blake parked the SUV in the parking lot beside the gymnasium, she gently nudged Shizuma awake. "Hey we're here already. Go fix your hair," she told the younger woman. "It's a bit mussed from your nap." As Shizuma quickly fixed her hair by looking at the rearview mirror, Blake got out of the car and loosened her coat. From what Kaname said, the gymnasium would be heated so there wouldn't be a need for them to wear their coats inside. Blake walked around the SUV and opened the door for Shizuma. "Ready?" she asked then made a face. "I should be asking myself that question," she corrected, startling a laugh from Shizuma.

Once the two of them were ready, Blake locked the doors of their car and they proceeded to walk to the gymnasium entrance. Blake took a deep breath and schooled her face to blankness as she and Shizuma strode into the spacious enclosed area. The raven-haired woman kept a straight face as numerous heads turned to look at them. She decided to ignore the looks she and Shizuma were given and observed her surroundings. The simple gym had been turned into a beautifully decorated hall with one basketball court that was filled with tables and chairs, another court was for the dance floor and the stage while the side of the gymnasium was lined with buffet tables. Blake continued to scan the area until she spotted Kaname striding towards them with a shocked smile on her face.

"Blake! Shizuma!" she greeted cheerfully, giving the students a look to get back to their business. "I'm glad you made it and may I just say that the both of you look absolutely stunning tonight!" She particularly kept her eyes on Blake when she said that.

Blake growled menacingly. "We could move the sparring session to now if you keep that up," she told her friend who laughed. "I definitely won't have a problem fighting you even in this outfit."

Shizuma slapped her lover loudly on the arm. "Blake! Behave! We're supposed to be chaperones for these kids," she reminded the raven-haired woman who was still scowling and rubbing her arm. "By the way Kaname," she added, spotting three older men lounging around on one table. "I thought you said it was only going to be us to chaperone in this event?"

Kaname nodded her head, motioning for Shizuma and Blake to follow her to their table. "I forgot to mention last night that I was also trying to convince my colleagues in the athletics department to chaperone," she explained. "I managed to get three of the coaches to come here because they all owe me favors." She led them to a table already occupied by Shion dressed in a pristine white dress, Chikaru who was in a beige-gold one, Momomi who was in a bright yellow one and Amane who wore a pale blue dress.

Chikaru was the first to stand to meet and greet the new arrivals by bringing out her camera and snapping several pictures of them. "Ara! I will develop these pictures and have them framed! These pictures are meant to be treasured especially since we'll probably never see our Blake in a dress and in heels again."

Amane put two fingers in her mouth and let out a long and loud wolf whistle, which turned quite a few heads. She grinned at Blake who scowled even harder at each of them. "Can I have a copy, Chikaru-san?" she asked. "Better make more copies because I'm sure each one of us would want one."

Shion nodded her head in agreement. "Too bad Miyuki isn't here to see this so it's just right that we give her a copy as well." She leaned back against her chair and exchanged smiles with Shizuma.

Momomi was the last to comment. She gazed seriously at Blake, looking at her from head to toe. "Blake-senpai, everyone is right about you looking stunning tonight," she started, her face then crinkling. "But why did you have to wear all your piercings?" She sighed. "It still makes you look so emo-ish."

Everyone laughed as Blake turned her head away to try to conceal her embarrassment, which was evident on her cheeks. Kaname was the first to stop laughing and gestured for Shizuma and Blake to take their seats. "Come now, grab a chair and sit! A lot of the students are looking at us." She grinned as all of them sat around the table.

"Momomi," Kaname scolded. "You shouldn't tease Blake about the way she looks." She and the rest of their group of friends chuckled. "Besides, the piercings make Blake unique."

"Not to mention cool looking," Chikaru added.

"Could we change the subject?" Blake asked, feeling uncomfortable. "I'm not exactly used to having people talk about me like this." She looked at the empty buffet table and hurriedly suggested, "Let's go grab some food and drinks." She and the rest of her friends got up and in headed for the buffet. They met up with Kaname's friends among the coaching staff at the buffet table where they were each briefly introduced. One man who looked to be in his mid-thirties even shook hands with Blake and mentioned that he would love to watch a sparring match between her and Kaname. When Blake asked why, the man explained that Kaname had often told him of a friend of hers back in Japan who fought like a demon much to Blake's amusement.

Once they got back to their table, their conversation revolved around many things. Shizuma was conversing with Shion while Chikaru was in a deep discussion about the curriculum of the school with Kaname and Momomi. Blake decided to talk to Amane while the other went about with their discussion. "Lonely, miss equestrian?" she asked with a smile on her face.

Amane sighed and nodded. "Hikari is still finishing college and I won't be able to see her for another year or so depending on how much longer her course will take." She gulped down her water and looked over at Shizuma. "At least you and Shizuma are together."

Blake shook her head. "It took us five years before we finally got back together. You shouldn't be jealous because at least you were still able to spend time with Hikari during that time." Blake fingered the piercings on her right ear. "We were able to make up for lost time," she added. "I'm just hoping that things will stay this way without ShadowLabs meddling in our lives." Just then, the band went on stage and began to call the students onto the dance floor.

Kaname sighed and reluctantly got out of her seat. "Duty calls everyone. We should keep an eye on the students from now on." The rest of the group got to their feet and made their way to the extremities of the dance floor, keeping an eye on the rambunctious bunch of students. They all split into groups: Amane, Shizuma and Blake in one, Kaname and Momomi in another, Shion and Chikaru as a pair and the three male coaches separated so that they could cover more ground.

While the rest of the chaperones kept a watchful eye on the students, Amane, Blake and Shizuma kept up a steady conversation to entertain themselves. Just then familiar salt and pepper-haired young man and an even more familiar auburn haired girl approached waded out of the crowd and walked towards them.

The young man was the first to speak. "Good evening Amane," he greeted with a polite smile. He turned to Blake and raised his thick eyebrows. "Well!" he exclaimed. "It's a pleasure to meet you again Blake. After all, it's been quite a while since you last visited the club." He offered his hand to the raven-haired woman and exchanged handshakes with each other.

"Emil," Amane greeted with a grin. "I see that our youngest equestrian here took our advice to bring you to this dance." She smiled at Dom who looked splendid in a dark blue dress.

Emil laughed. "Well, she didn't really have much of a choice," he pointed out. "It was either she would pick me or our other male equestrian from the club." He grinned wolfishly. "Of course, who would want to bring the ever so flirtatious and not to mention _old _Lorenzo to a high school dance?"

Blake could not help but grin at Emil's sense of humor. When she had first met him, he seemed to be a serious type of character who didn't have a sense of humor. Tonight just happened to prove that appearances were deceiving. "How have you been, Dom?" Blake asked the younger Kingston sibling.

Dom smiled shyly up at Blake. "I've been doing alright. Staying at the Aurora Fields dormitories has been really fun!" she exclaimed. "Except that Emil here is right about Lorenzo," she added with a frown. "It gets tiring to handle his flirtatious behavior and if I had not taken the advice and of Amane and the other girls at the club, I wouldn't be enjoying this dance as much." She grinned at Emil. "Besides, Lorenzo is too old for this kind of thing. He's twenty-five while Emil here is just twenty."

Amane chuckled and noticed that the girl and her date were now staring in interest at their other companion. The equestrian cleared her throat and elbowed Blake's ribs. "Blake should be the one to introduce our friend here," she told the others.

Blake blinked then looked at Shizuma who was smiling amicably at the young pair. Coughing and gathering her nerve knowing that Dom may make a fuss, Blake prepared herself. "Dom and Emil, may I introduce Shizuma Hanazono," she started, trying not to notice that Dom's emerald green eyes widened. "Shizuma this is Dom Kingston, the younger sister of Ash and this is Emil, one of the equestrians from their club."

Shizuma gave one of her signature smiles at Emil and offered one elegant hand for him to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Emil," she told the young man who could not help but blush. To Dom she stepped forward and leaned down slightly so that she could be face to face with the shorter girl. "It's all the more a pleasure to meet you, Dom," she leaned her face forward as if she was in the process of planting a kiss on the young girl who was already wide-eyed and crimson.

"Shizuma," Blake warned her lover and watched in dismay as Shizuma pecked the young girl on the cheek before pulling away with a loud sigh. "Don't mind Shizuma," Blake assured Dom and reserving a frown for her lover. "That's been a bad habit of hers ever since we were in high school."

"She is _that_ one?" Dom questioned, still staring at Shizuma with great interest. It was obvious that she had already found out that Blake had fallen in love with this girl back in high school. "Shizuma was your girl-" she couldn't continue because Emil's hand covered her mouth.

"Ok!" Emil exclaimed. "Let's leave it at that and not pry about our friends' private lives." He looked at Dom sternly. "I'll only take my hand away if you promise not say any unnecessary things," he told the young girl. Only when Dom nodded her agreement did Emil take his hand away.

Dom frowned at her date then turned to gaze at Blake and Shizuma. "I'll say though that it was obvious that Shizuma was the one you were talking about during our trip."

"How was it obvious?" Blake asked.

The auburn-haired girl shrugged. "The look you had on your face when Shizuma was about to kiss me said it all," she replied.

"Dom..." Amane and Emil chorused in a warning tone.

"What?" the girl demanded. "I'm not saying anything bad! They even look like a great couple!" Just as she was about to say more, Emil wrapped an arm around her waist and carried her away into the dance floor.

Blake shook her head as the pair disappeared into the crowd. "Are you wondering why she knows, Shizuma?" She raised an eyebrow at her lover who looked thoughtfully at the dance floor. Not bothering to wait for an answer, Blake continued. "I chaperoned Dom to the Aurora Fields Horse Club and to this school a few months ago and she managed to pry out from me that I had a female lover in the past. I never told her your name though," she explained.

Just then, the band began to play a slow song. Most of the students paired up and began to dance slowly. Blake could see Kaname and Momomi slowly swaying against each other at their side of the gymnasium while Chikaru and Shion leaned against the wall and watched. She turned and was about to ask Shizuma if she wanted to dance when a male student, Blake guessed, approached Shizuma and bowed elegantly to her.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, smiling up at Shizuma from his bowed position.

Shizuma laughed. "I am not a student here, young man," she said, guessing the boy was around seventeen years old.

"Half of us aren't from this school," the boy pointed out. He hooked their arms together and proceeded to pull Shizuma towards the dance floor. "Just give me this one dance, milady."

"But," Shizuma tried to explain, looking over her shoulder to see what Blake was doing as she was led to the dance floor. "I'm not a student," she tried again. "I'm actually once of the chaperon-" she couldn't finish as he and the unknown boy waded through the crowd, disappearing from Blake and Amane's sight.

Amane stared first at the dancing students then looked at Blake. "Aren't you going after her?" she asked, confused at Blake's non-existent reaction.

Blake shrugged, the slave earring on her left ear tinkling with the movement of her shoulders. "It's just a dance, Amane," she told her friend. "I'm sure Shizuma could take care of herself." She rolled her shoulders and looked up at the ceiling. "I need some air." She waved at Amane and walked back to their table, grabbing her coat and shrugging it on before heading outside. When the heavy gymnasium doors closed behind her, Blake walked down the stairs and leaned against the stair railing to look up at the starlit sky. It may have seemed like that she didn't care that Shizuma was asked to dance by a stranger, but in reality she was jealous. Blake let out a sigh and tried to forget what had just happened but to no avail. She wasn't in the mood to go back inside and was going to head to the X5 to listen to her music when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Blake turned around and realized that it was Emil.

The gray-haired young man smiled at her and began to apologize. "Sorry about Dom," he started. "I already scolded her about not prying into the private lives of people." He rubbed the back of his neck and gave the older woman an apologetic smile.

Blake shook her head and returned the smile. "Where is Dom now?" she asked the equestrian.

The young man grinned. "Well, I tired her out on the dance floor so that I could head out here by myself without her pestering you about your love life." Emil chuckled. "Why are you out here?" he asked but did not get an answer from the raven-haired woman. "Allow me to guess that it's because your Shizuma is dancing with some unknown boy." Emil shook his head. "It was easy to spot her on the dance floor with that color of hair she has," he answered the silent question.

Blake was tempted to say that it had nothing to do with her being outside, but a sigh escaped her lips before she could stop herself. "I'm jealous alright," she admitted with a frown. "That kid just swooped in and took Shizuma away before I had a chance to react. The thing that irks me even more is that Shizuma didn't even resist," she explained. "If she had even resisted, she wouldn't be on that dance floor right now."

"Hmmm…" Emil hummed in thought. "It's a typical reaction between lovers. I'm sure Shizuma doesn't mean anything bad by going along with that kid. Besides, Shizuma isn't even interested in men," he told the sulking Blake. "She's interested in women particularly in one woman." He shook his head when the raven-haired woman didn't cheer up. He fished a packet out of his pocket and offered it to Blake. "Want one?"

Blake looked at the offered item and realized that Emil was offering her a cigarette. She stared at the cigarette pack for a few moments before letting her shoulders droop and taking a cigarette. Blake was never a smoker, but she had learned how to smoke care of Jez and her friends. They had convinced Blake to at least learn how so that she could be a social smoker when it was called for. Blake could accurately say that it was going to be the third time she was going to smoke. The first time was when Jez and her friends taught her how to do it; the second time was during a party and now was the third time. Blake placed the cigarette between her lips and waited for Emil to bring out his Zippo lighter. She bent down slightly and used her hand to protect the flame as she puffed a few times to get the cigarette burning.

"Never thought that you smoked," Emil commented as he lit a cigarette for himself. "You aren't a chain smoker, am I right?" he asked, flicking the cigarette with his wrist to get rid of the collecting ash. "I can tell," he continued. He watched as the raven-haired woman took in a long drag and blew out smoke through both her nostrils. "You make it look like that you've been smoking for a long time though."

Blake shrugged and alternated flicking ash off the tip of her cigarette and taking drags. "I learned from the best," she said jokingly, smiling in spite of herself. "Jez's friends are at the top ranks of chain smokers. I just gave in and decided to learn because they would keep bothering me. I almost always end up bumping into them because I live in the same place as Jez and I'm often forced to go to their get-togethers. In truth, I can count on three fingers how many times I've smoked since I learned how to do it." She took in another long drag and breathed out the smoke, calming her somewhat.

"Want another one?" Emil offered, noticing that cigarette was quite short already. He took out his cigarette pack and offered it to Blake. The raven-haired woman was about to reach over when the gymnasium doors opened and closed behind them. They both turned around and saw that it was a frowning Shizuma. Emil nervously laughed and let his cigarette drop to the floor. "Time for me to check on Dom," he told Blake, crushing the cigarette butt beneath his leather-shod foot. With a wave to Blake, he turned around and went back inside the noisy gymnasium, leaving the two women alone.

Blake stared at Shizuma, pinning the cigarette between her lips and crossing her arms over her chest. "Are you going to keep staring at me like that?" she asked in a cold voice. She knew she was being overly shallow, but she couldn't help but quip at her lover.

Shizuma stared at her with a hurt look in her amber orbs before she headed down the stairs towards Blake. "Since when did you start smoking?" she asked, watching Blake take in another long drag and hold the cigarette between her second and third finger.

Blake shrugged. "I learned how a few years ago from Jez," she replied. "I don't smoke frequently though." She put the cigarette back between her lips. "In fact, I rarely smoke. It's just that_ now _seemed like a good time to smoke," she narrowed her eyes at the platinum-haired woman.

Shizuma sighed. "I'm sorry about that. I did not mean for it to get that far, but that boy was rather persistent," she apologized to Blake. "I would have wanted to leave the dance floor to follow you, but he kept his grip on me and I couldn't exactly make a scene with all those students around us." She stood before Blake and look pleadingly at her. "It took me a while to get away and it's only now that I found you. Could you please stop smoking? It's not good for you."

Blake scowled and refused to look at Shizuma. She was still feeling hurt because of what happened earlier. She planned to stay that way except that Shizuma reached out with her hand and grabbed the cigarette from her lips, throwing it to the floor and extinguishing it with her foot.

"It really isn't healthy for you," Shizuma advised, trapping Blake's face in her hands. "Besides," she added in a softer voice. "I don't particularly enjoy kissing people with tobacco breath." She pulled in close to Blake and wrapped her arms around her lover. "Forgive me?"

The raven-haired woman let out a defeated sigh and wrapped her arms around the slightly shorter woman. "I forgive you," she told her lover in a gruff voice. "Next time, please stick closer to me so that you don't have boys stealing you away from me."

Shizuma nodded and tilted her face upward as if to kiss Blake, but pulled away instead. "I'll do that, but you won't be getting any kisses from me until you eat some mint candy or you brush your teeth." She tugged at Blake's arm and led them back inside the gymnasium. "The event is about to end and Kaname said we should all gather together so that we could convoy going to her place by the beach."

"Finally," Blake let out in relief. "I could finally get out of these clothes and get rid of this make-up!" She and Shizuma met up with the rest of their friends and waited as the students bid each other goodnight and filed out of the gym to go back to their homes or dormitories. Emil and Dom both went up to Blake, Amane and Shizuma to bid them goodnight before they too went on their way. The young male equestrian shook hands with Blake and apologized to Shizuma without explaining why before heading outside to take Dom back to the club.

When the gym was finally empty, the remaining adults including the three male coaches that chaperoned the event along with them locked the gymnasium up and bid each other farewell for the night. Kaname and Momomi got into their car while Blake and Shizuma got into theirs. Chikaru offered to let Amane ride with her and Shion in her own car. Blake and Chikaru followed Kaname out of the school campus and down a highway for a good thirty minutes before they arrived at the coast and at Kaname's beach house. As everyone got out of their cars, Blake took some time to look at the newly purchased house. It was a two-storey beauty and she could see that there was another structure at the back of the house looking towards the beach. She couldn't tell though what it was in the dark.

Kaname led their group inside and started to turn on all the lights. "The bedrooms are all upstairs. There are four rooms all in all," she told them. "Momomi and I will have one, Shizuma and Blake can have one for themselves. The same also goes for Chikaru and Shion and the last room will go to Amane." She looked at her friends who held their belongings in their arms. "Why don't you all go up, settle in and change out of your clothes before we bring out the booze?"

"Sounds like a great idea," Blake commented, heading upstairs with Shizuma close behind her. When they got to their assigned room, Blake dropped her bag on the floor by the bed and crouched down to get her clothes. "Why don't you use the bathroom first, Shizuma? I'll get changed here then I'll use the bathroom after you're done." Once Shizuma was in the bathroom, Blake slipped off her heels and carefully stripped off the dress. Grabbing a pair of one of her numerous black cloth pants, a wifebeater shirt and her favorite white jacket with a silver dragon at the back, Blake slipped them on taking care not to get the make-up on her shirt. She was just about done with taking off all her piercings on her ears when Shizuma walked out of the bathroom, her hair undone and her face glistening from washing.

"You could use it now," she told the raven-haired woman, walking to her own bag and getting her clothes ready. With a devilish smile, she began to strip out of her dress with Blake still in the room hoping to get the reaction she wished for. Fortunately, Blake did give her the desired reaction and hurriedly locked herself in the bathroom before Shizuma could fully get naked.

Once everyone was finished getting into comfortable clothes, the group of women trooped down to the living room to drink some alcohol, reminisce and update each other with their lives. Kaname acted as bartender as the rest of them sat on the floor around a low table. It was well past one in the morning when each of them started to get sleepy. Kaname and Momomi were the first to depart from the group, the former carrying her sleeping lover up to their room. Amane was next to head to her room, explaining that she had to leave early tomorrow for practice at the horse club. Chikaru was the least drunk from among them and helped a very tipsy Shion to her feet and to their room after bidding Blake and Shizuma goodnight. Shizuma also excused herself and went upstairs to her room without explanation leaving Blake alone in the living room.

Blake sighed and took charge of clearing the table and floor of empty bottles and glasses, disposing them either at the sink or at the trash bin. She passed a jar filled with mint candies and decided to eat one to get rid of the bitter aftertaste of alcohol in her mouth. When everything seemed clean and in order, Blake headed outside through a pair of French doors, fumbling in the dark for a switch to turn on the outdoor lights. When her fingers finally found the switch on the wall beside the doors and flicked it on, she took in a long breath of air as she gazed at her lit surroundings. Kaname had definitely splurged on the landscapist. The backyard was literally on the beach as Blake stepped onto the sand. The space was enclosed by a three-foot high stone wall with a gate opening to the beach beyond. On the left side of the area was a large Jacuzzi tub big enough to fit six people. The opposite side had a path leading to an open hut made of wood, the floors decked with soft mattresses, pillows, sheets and a hammock. There were no walls on the hut and it was simply held up by four thick wooden posts with a simple roof on top. The structure was elevated so that its occupants would be given a clear view of the beach and the ocean.

Heading towards the structure, Blake slipped of her slippers and stepped onto the open platform looking up at the ceiling, noticing that the hammock's ties were securely fastened to the roof's beams. Blake flipped her collar up to cover her neck as a chilly wind blew into the backyard. She walked forward and leaned against one of the hut's posts, looking out to the sea and relishing her tranquil environment.

"So this is where you've gone to,"

Blake turned around and saw that Shizuma was walking towards the open hut. "I'm not really that sleepy yet and I'm trying to get rid of my dizziness before I go to sleep," she told Shizuma, watching her slip off her slippers and step onto the elevated platform of the hut. "I don't like the feeling of lying in bed while you're experiencing bouts of dizziness," she explained as her lover carefully sat in the hammock and looked towards the sea.

"It's beautiful here," Shizuma commented, her amber eyes sparkling with awe.

"It certainly is," Blake murmured in agreement, walking to the center of the hut and squinting across the distance. "I wonder how it would look like it during the day?" She rubbed her eyes, finally feeling sleepy. "Why don't we head on up, Shizu-" Blake's voice cracked and she couldn't finish her sentence when she turned around to look at her lover. Shizuma was off the hammock and slowly making her way towards Blake, gazing at her with a fierce lust evident in her amber eyes. Even nature seemed to be playing along as the wind picked up, making Shizuma's hair dance against the black darkness behind her. "Sh-Shizuma," Blake stuttered, trying to think straight. "We should be heading back inside now," she suggested, feeling a nervous shiver travel down her spine.

"Why is that?" Shizuma asked in a husky voice. She continued to advance while Blake took a tentative step back.

Blake gulped, her palms broke out in a sweat. "It's late and we should get some sleep," she explained, her bare feet sliding across the sheeted mattresses.

"Who said _we're _going to do some sleeping?" Shizuma replied, narrowing her lust-filled eyes at Blake and reaching out to grab at her lover's jacket.

Blake hurriedly took another step back, but managed to trip over a throw pillow. She fell back against the mattress with an "oof" and struggled to get back on her feet. Things didn't go as she planned because Shizuma jumped on her, placing her hands on Blake's chest and effectively pinning her down on the cushioned floor of the hut.

"You're not going anywhere, Blake," Shizuma growled, sliding one hand down from Blake's shoulders and fumbling at the jacket zipper at the base of her lover's throat.

"Are you sure you want to do _this _here?" Blake's voice cracked as she asked that, grabbing Shizuma's hands and stopping their assault.

Shizuma sat up, her knees on either side of Blake's waist. "Is there something wrong?" she asked, smiling sweetly down at her lover. She was particularly enjoying Blake's flustered reactions and her reddening face.

The raven-haired woman coughed and turned her head away. "I'm not used to this," she told Shizuma in a shaky voice.

The former Etoile of Astraea Hill looked confused. "Not used to what?" she queried, crossing her hands over her chest for the meantime while Blake explained herself.

Blake remained silent for a few seconds. "I'm not used to handling such an aggressive Shizuma," she admitted, lying still on the cushioned floor. She could feel her face burning from embarrassment as Shizuma gazed down at her with an incredulous look on her face.

"Aggressive?" Shizuma asked, holding back a laugh. "Blake, I've always been this aggressive!" she laughed, tossing back her hair over her shoulder.

"You weren't this aggressive when we-" Blake stuttered not sure with what to say. "When we… we… the first time we…" She fumbled with her words and looked away once more to hide her embarrassment.

Shizuma raised her eyebrows at her lover. "The first time we had sex, you mean?" she clarified without a hint of sympathy for her deeply embarrassed lover. "If you recall, I wasn't really myself at that time," she indicated her state of fear after their experience at the oil rig. "I wasn't aggressive then, but I've always had an aggressive attitude when it came to pursuing girls that I liked. That was apparent ever since we were in high school, Blake," she reminded her lover, her hands slipping under the hem of Blake's jacket.

Blake laughed nervously as she felt Shizuma's inquisitive hands roam around her stomach area. "True, you weren't aggressive when we had sex the first time, but still it's been five years since I actually fell victim to your natural aggressive courting rituals, Shizuma," she pointed out, breathing in heavily when she felt her lover's hands slip under her shirt beneath her jacket and touch the taut flesh of her stomach.

"Start getting used to it," Shizuma told her lover, removing her hands from underneath Blake's shirt and jacket. She leaned down, positioning her lips centimeters away from Blake's ear. "Because now… I'm not going to go easy on you." She gently bit the raven-haired woman's earlobe eliciting a surprised squeak from the other woman. Shizuma pressed her soft lips on Blake's neck, kissing her way down and relishing how Blake's breathing had become heavy with that simple gesture along. Once she kissed her way to the junction of her lover's neck and shoulder, Shizuma took a detour and kissed her way up Blake's jaw then planted a wet kiss on the corner of her partner's lips. She pulled away, gazing down at Blake with lust deeply engraved in her eyes before she dipped down and locked their lips together.

Their mouths moved sensually against each other, none of them remembering who asked for entrance first to the other's warm mouth. Tongues clashed while arms entwined around their significant other's body. Shizuma was true to her word and was very aggressive. With one hand, she gripped both of Blake's wrists and pinned them on the floor above her lover's head while she distracted Blake by lavishing her neck as her other hand worked with the jacket zipper. Once the zipper was all the way down, Shizuma raised herself up to her knees and let go of Blake's wrists. She then proceeded to strip Blake of her jacket, hurriedly throwing it aside. Much to the former Etoile's happiness, her lover didn't seem to have a bra on.

"H-Hoy!" Blake said nervously. "Stop staring at me like that!" She looked up at Shizuma with uncertainty.

"Hmm?" Shizuma snapped out of daze. "I can't help it, Blake," she told her lover, leaning down and capturing Blake's lips in a heated kiss. "Being on top and having you as a lover makes me…" she paused, thinking of the right word to describe her current feeling.

Blake attempted to roll over, but Shizuma's thighs restricted her from moving. "Horny?" she supplied, receiving another smile from Shizuma and was once again smothered with another kiss. Blake squirmed under Shizuma's touch as her lover gently trailed her hands up Blake's thighs, stomach and lightly circled her breasts. She could feel her head swimming with the variety of sensations Shizuma was producing on her from her ministrations.

"Don't resist me," Shizuma ordered Blake in between kisses, hooking the bottom of Blake's wifebeater shirt and lifting it up and over her head. Shizuma gazed lustfully at the fantastic body underneath the discarded piece of clothing. This time those modest breasts were hers to touch, to taste. And she did. She rubbed them with both of her hands, marvelling at the way the skin and flesh moulded under her strong fingers. She savoured this feeling as she explored Blake's body with her eyes. She slid her hands down the smooth and taut stomach; one palm resting on the side of Blake's waist while the other pressed into the small of her lover's back, pulling Blake in. Her tongue out, she leaned forward, flicking and tasting those perfect brown nipples that now stood stiff and erect from her attention.

Unable to control herself any longer, Blake moaned loudly and fell limp against the mattress on the hut's floor. Shizuma deftly resettled Blake into a more comfortable position, her mouth and tongue never ceasing its attention on the nipples. She continued giving her lover lavish attention by sucking, licking and gently biting into the pert flesh. Blake's body under her writhed in passion… her hips arching and her hands tightly clenching the sheets beneath her. The raven-haired woman deeply needed her now and Shizuma responded immediately to that need. She undid the ties of Blake's pants and sensually slid them down her long and fit legs. Once the offending article of clothing was discarded, Shizuma kissed her way up Blake's smooth legs, massaging her thighs then slowly stroking her lover's inner thighs with just the tips of her fingers. Being this close to Blake's sex, Shizuma could smell the musk radiating from her lover's core as she was urged on by Blake's quickening intakes of breath. She made her way back up Blake's body, kissing every inch of flesh until her lips were once again in contact with Blake's. A hand, slowly and ever so gently rubbed its way down in and out of the band of Blake's panties. Both Shizuma and Blake gasped as the latter raised her hips slightly to meet the cupping hand that was intruding. Quickly, Shizuma pulled of the remaining piece of clothing and replaced her hand. "You're wet already, Blake," Shizuma whispered hoarsely, caught up in the rush of emotion. It felt… incredibly soft like velvet. Her intruding fingers softly traced Blake's lines, venerating at how they felt. More importantly, Shizuma watched her lover's face contort in pleasure. She took a deep breath and slid a finger into the warm wetness of Blake's core. Her lover's body arched up violently and cried out from the sensation. Shizuma smothered the cry with a deep kiss and almost simultaneously pulled out and slid two fingers in.

Back when Shizuma was still in high school, she had often heard students complaining that their lovers would take forever before they could actually make them orgasm. They complained loudly that ramming fingers weren't enough to get them off. Of course that would not get them to orgasm. It was obvious that these girls' lovers lacked skill on a particular part of sex. As her fingers noisily but easily slid in and out of Blake's core, Shizuma reached down with her other hand and with her thumb placed it on top of Blake's clit, moving the hood up and pressing down gently on that bundle of nerves. Unexpected pain shot through her shoulder as Blake bit down hard, suppressing her cries of ecstasy. Shizuma's pain turned into pleasure and slowly into motivation as she began to run her thumb in circles around the sensitive nub. Slowly with gentle firmness, Shizuma curled her fingers and moved her hand eliciting more uncontrollable writhing and moaning from the woman beneath her.

"Shizuma," Blake moaned, her fists clenched tightly around the sheets beneath them. "I'm… close," she groaned out, throwing her head back against the mattress as her lover shoved another finger into her stretching her even more. Blake felt Shizuma increase the pace of her moving fingers and unconsciously began to grind her hips against those fingers. Blake couldn't understand the feeling she was experiencing now. This was warm… a warmth that wrapped around her whole body and sent tingles down every limb and every nerve. The raven-haired woman whose gray eyes were as stormy as the wild seas realized that this is what she so deeply desired… Shizuma. The heat in her began to grow rapidly and it felt like every muscle was pulling in, trying to hold onto that heat bringing it back down to her clit to the inside of her womb, until the good feeling balled tight. It felt ever so tight inside of her and then finally it was released in an onrush of unfathomable pleasure. Blake threw her head back in pleasure, yelling out Shizuma's name. It was a fierce orgasm that rocked Blake hard as the she waited for the tremors to subside. She finally collapsed, breathing hard as Shizuma withdrew her fingers and kissed Blake sweetly.

"Sleep love," Shizuma told Blake after pulling away from the kiss.

Blake blinked once, her eyes snapping up at Shizuma who was still inconveniently fully clothed. "Sleep is the last thing on my mind, Shizuma," she told the platinum-haired woman with a smirk. Blake grabbed hold of Shizuma's hips and deftly flipped her onto her back, straddling her lover and pinning her hands on either side of her head. Without hesitation, Blake roughly threw off Shizuma's shirt, glad that there was nothing else underneath to hinder her. After a quick but passionate kiss, Blake moved kissed a path bound south, giving lavish attention to each mound before moving on to Shizuma's quivering stomach. As Blake nipped at the taut flesh in that area, she grabbed the waistband of Shizuma's pants and began to pull them down. She felt her lover raise her hips to give her an easier time to rid the garment. Blake responded by nipping lower just above the line of Shizuma's panties as she finally threw the pants aside on their growing pile of clothing.

"Please Blake…" Shizuma groaned, writhing under Blake's touch. "Stop… teasing… me," she breathed out. She sucked in a deep breath of air when Blake's fingers slipped under her panties and explored core.

Blake looked up in surprise and smiled at Shizuma. "You're smooth," she pointed out in awe, revelling at the unusual smoothness of the flesh at the juncture of her lover's thighs. "I like it," she told Shizuma with a lusty smile.

"Don't… tease," Shizuma replied, breathing heavily and arching her back when her lover's curious fingers found the sensitive and already erect nub. She moaned loudly as Blake's other hand reached up and kneaded her breasts and pinched her nipples. After pleasuring her some more with her fingers, Blake suddenly leaned forward lapped at Shizuma's wet core. Shizuma tried to sit up, but felt Blake's strong hand press down on her stomach, forcing her to lie back down. Blake's other hand hoisted Shizuma's leg over her shoulder, allowing her better access. Shizuma bit down on her fingers, stifling a gasp as she felt her lover trace shapes, slowly and firmly into her clitoris. She moaned wantonly as she struggled against the strong hand that held her down against the floor. Shizuma was completely under Blake's control, helpless to the warm tongue that continued to lap and swirl at her core. Gasping, the former Etoile began to feel her body writhe uncontrollably, the approach of a powerful orgasm inevitable.

Blake could feel that her lover was close to losing herself so she sucked harder, pulling Shizuma's clit between her teeth licking at it and rolling it gently between her teeth again and again. After a few moments, Blake felt Shizuma grab her hair as she came hard, pulling Blake deeper into her core as wave after wave of pleasure coursed through her body. Breathing hard, Shizuma waited for the orgasm to subside before relinquishing her hold on Blake's hair. After doing so, she felt Blake come up towards her face and allowed her lover to kiss her deeply.

When Blake pulled away, Shizuma lazily smiled up at her, hands reaching behind Blake's neck and locking together. "It's a treat I will always look for when we're together like this," she told her lover, nuzzling Blake's neck.

"What do you mean?" Blake asked, rolling over so that she and Shizuma were at their sides. She grabbed a folded thick blanket and threw it over them as she held Shizuma close.

Shizuma snuggled deeper into Blake's embrace. "Your aggressiveness," she replied, her eyes twinkling. "I enjoyed it when you were rough on me." She reached up and caressed Blake's cheek, smiling sleepily when her lover turned red once more. "After all we've been through, you're still not used to my advances!" She chuckled

"It's going to take me a while so be patient," Blake replied, pulling Shizuma closer before finally falling into a deep and fitful slumber.

* * *

Blake cracked one eye open to see that the sun was slowly rising on the horizon. She lay on the cushioned floor of the hut, spooned against the naked body of Shizuma underneath the blankets. Closing it once more, the raven-haired woman snuggled closer to her lover and kissed the back of Shizuma's neck.

"Is it morning?" Shizuma mumbled, reacting to the tingling sensation at the back of her neck.

Blake kissed the back of Shizuma's neck once more. "It is," she confirmed. "But we don't need to get up yet."

"Perhaps you should so that all of us could have breakfast and head to work," an amused and tired voice sounded behind them, startling both women to full wakefulness.

Blake sat up abruptly, remembering in time to clutch the blankets against her chest as she glared at a smiling Kaname and an equally amused Momomi. "I knew that we should have brought it to our room last night," Blake muttered, turning around to see that Shizuma was already on her feet and putting on her clothes. She looked past Kaname and Momomi to see Amane, Shion and Chikaru on the balcony. "Enjoying the view?" She scowled up at them as she got up, turned around and began to dress.

Amane grinned. "It's alright," she replied. "I prefer petite bodies though." She walked back into her room while Shion and Chikaru chuckled.

"Ara! I'll go on ahead and start breakfast so that all of us could get to work." Chikaru disappeared back into the room with Shion close behind her.

Kaname slung an arm around Momomi's shoulders as Blake and Shizuma stepped out of the hut in their clothes. "Good thing you decided to make hot and passionate love to each other last night. If it were an ordinary night, there would have been some late night strollers on the beach."

Blake scowled and was about to make a smart remark, but remained silent when Shizuma smiled ever so sweetly at her. Instead, Blake shrugged. "What can I say?" she began. "Shizuma and I like found the joys of making love outdoors." That startled heavy laughter from Kaname as they walked back inside the house to help out with breakfast. For the first time in years, Blake finally felt content.

* * *

"Are the preparations done?"

"Of course father."

Feet shuffled across the ground noisily. "Is 54,601's army ready?"

"I armed them with the stolen weapons from the government's hidden artillery base."

"And how about 54,601?"

"You need not worry, father," the man replied. "He is now completely under our control."

The elderly man chuckled. "Now we will see if Blake Saberhart can stand up to ShadowLabs."

* * *

_**Alright I know it's been around… 3 weeks since I last updated? Well remember in the last chapter I uploaded, I mentioned that I was going to be unable to write the next chapter because the next two weeks were filled with tests, paper submissions and defense. So what happened to the other extra week? I took a well-deserved break after all the stress of the recently passed term. All the hard work I put into my academics paid off though. I'm part of the Dean's List again :) with a grade point average of 3.489.**_

_**So now, I went back to writing and I'm glad to inform you that I have until May 26 to keep uploading chapters for this story. The start of the new school year in on May 26 and it'll also be the start of my final year in my university before I graduate. Right after my week of pure rest and relaxation, I got my fingers on my laptop keyboard and started typing. I actually wanted to finish this chapter on April 20**__**th**__** because I had intended for it to be a birthday blowout to my readers. It's just that I finished two days late so now, this chapter is a belated birthday blowout to my readers. Yes I'm getting old and don't bother to ask how old I am. Haha!**_

_**To be honest, this story is about to end. To be more specific, there will be two more regular chapter then an epilogue. I've had it planned out for quite some time now and I'm aiming to finish everything before school starts. I have good news too. I managed to contact my artist friend and she agreed to make a sketch of Blake for me. So I'll be overseeing her work when I go over to her condo and sleep over. I'll probably be able to show you the sketch of Blake either next week or the week after that. **_

_**Alaeri: Well, "emo" has different meanings depending on the way you used it. The way I had Momomi describe Blake using "emo" was not really with the attitude of slitting wrists. I had meant that Blake had the look of an "emo" person. Hmmm… the best way I could describe it is by telling you to look at the lead singers of either Fall Out Boy or My Chemical Romance. Those two bands tend to exude an "emo" look. Goth is different of course and Blake doesn't fall in that category! Hahaha! As promised, I came up with a sex scene in this chapter and unfortunately, it's the last one. Hope you enjoyed it though!**_

_**Tasha: Well I hope you stay long enough to catch the upcoming sketch of Blake! And thanks for cheering me on when I was having my finals! :)**_

_**r.e.ign.shyler: I expected people to shy away from this story because it doesn't revolve around an actual Strawberry panic character, but then again I did warn readers at the beginning of the story that this was going to be a different kind of story. Thanks for eventually liking the story! It's a boost to the ego. Hahaha!**_

_**Yenyankee: I'm glad you eventually learned to like or should I saw "loved" my story. The sketch of Blake will be coming out soon so be patient and wait a little longer. :)**_

_**Loorlover: Well well well… you disappeared for quite some time! Hahaha! I was wondering if you have already forgotten about me since you last reviewed back in January then never reviewed until now. I feel all proud now that you actually think the whole ShadowLabs plot I came up with was good. It took me a while to develop it and actually put it down on paper because I probably had over twenty ideas on how that scenario would work and end. Thanks for reviewing and hope you don't disappear again! **_


	24. Harrowing

_**A word of warning to the readers.**_

_**This chapter is rated M for violence.**_

* * *

_Chapter 24: Harrowing_

For the first time in her life, Blake felt… light. Like a feather gently floating along the invisible currents of the wind as some people would say. Now it was so easy for her to smile, to laugh, to cry and even to love. Yes… it had taken her so many years to find that one thing that many people yearned for and she had it in the form of the platinum-haired woman gazing ever so lovingly at her. Who knew that she was capable of loving and experiencing love after all the horrors that she had been made to live through. Blake had nothing but bad memories of her childhood; a tortuous childhood spent in that blasted organization's facility. Even when she had been rescued by Kairos and the Lionheart organization, Blake still believed that there wasn't a trace of humanity left in her. The blood that had run through her veins had grown so cold that it burned… burned for vengeance. Back then, she didn't mind if she did become a one-set mind that was bent on killing life with frightening efficiency. She had shown signs of becoming a ruthless killer when Kairos had taken to training her. He was the only one brave or some would say foolish enough to exchange punches with her and he still bore the effects. The blonde-haired guardian had his fair share of broken bones, sprains and scars from the time he struggled to help Blake gain control over her fluctuating emotions through the use of physical training. Despite that, he had stuck to his charge for more than a decade and treated her as his own sister while everyone else feared her existence. Everything that she had been through after that had slowly brought the humanity back into her being. Blake was on route to keeping her promise to Mikhaila… she was finally living again.

"Hellooo… Earth to Blake!"

"Sorry," Blake mustered out after breaking away from her thoughts. "Were you trying to say something?" They were all seated around the dining room table in Kaname's house, sharing and enjoying a pot of tea before they separated for the day to go about their personal business.

"It was certainly amusing to watch you zone out like that," Amane pointed out. "You were so deep in your thoughts that you hardly blinked. Not to mention it was interesting to watch your facial expressions evolve from overly serious to happy with a goofy smile to boot!"

Blake reached back with her hand and rubbed the back of her head. "Really? I didn't realize I was doing that," she told her friends.

Amane glanced at the other women seated around her then fixed Blake with a surprised look. "Are you alright? Usually when I make a remark like that you'd instantly bring out that scowl of yours and start arguing." The equestrian leaned closer and looked at Blake carefully. "Did that _session _last night do something to your head?"

Blake shook her head and took a sip from her cup. "Not at all," she replied. "But perhaps it did get me thinking about how far I've gone in my life." She started to chuckle. "From a locked-up experimental subject to this!" She gestured at herself as her amused laughter died down. "Who would have known that a life like this was possible for such a person like me."

"We're all entitled to make our lives the way we want it to be." Chikaru had meant it for Blake, but her other friends listened attentively anyway. "It's our birthright," the long-haired brunette continued. "It's just that people often forget that when their lives don't start out right or become worse throughout. They don't realize that they still hold the power to change their life and become the people they want to be."

"Ah the ever so wise Chikaru Minamoto shares her divine words to us!" Shion drawled, keeping a straight face when the woman she talked about slapped her on the forearm. "I didn't mean anything bad by it Chikaru," she assured the woman. "It's just that whenever you say these things, they make sense and hit you hard."

"She is right though," Blake told her friends. "In my case, my mind had become so clouded that I only thought of myself as an owned weapon. I had not bothered to think that I could still make a life for myself despite of my past." Her hand inched over to cover and squeeze her lover's hand on the table. "I couldn't have done that without you guys."

"You should have let this out while we were drinking last night," Kaname observed, quiet interest evident in her eyes. "The way you're talking would have perfectly suited last night's atmosphere."

The scowl finally appeared on Blake's face. "How could have last night been the best time to reveal these to you? You wouldn't be appreciating what I'm saying the way most of you guzzled down the alcohol." She narrowed those storm-gray eyes of hers and stared hard at Kaname. "If I had opened up last night, none of you would have probably remembered what I said."

"Except maybe for Chikaru," Momomi quipped. "We plan all these drinking parties, but she never seems to get drunk! I understand that she wouldn't get inebriated whenever she would hold back and drink less compared to us, but I was sure that there were a handful of times that she kept up with us!" She rubbed her temples, still nursing a hangover.

"That's what you call high alcohol tolerance," Shizuma explained. "Chikaru may not drink as much as we do, but with her high tolerance she could very well keep drinking until each of us has passed out." The amber-eyed woman ran her hands through her recently washed hair. "Although I'm not so sure if Chikaru is at par with Blake's tolerance for alcohol," she added with a wry grin.

"Maybe we should start calling you 'the bottomless pit'," Kaname joked. "From the rumors we heard, a usual drinking session for Blake in a bar would start at seven in the evening and end at four in the morning. How much alcohol can you actually consume in a span of nine hours?"

Blake continued to scowl as she looked down into her cup of tea. "Those are rumors," she reminded her friends. "Those stories you've heard about me were probably blown up. There were several times I'd stay at a bar from seven until three in the morning, but I wasn't constantly drinking alcohol. I don't even think it's possible for a person to keep guzzling down alcoholic beverages for nine hours."

"Well it looks like you're not at all affected by these rumors circulating around you," Shion remarked as she lightly leaned her elbows on the surface of the table. "If it was one of us, we would have been far more affected."

Amane nodded. "You're right. We are forgetting though why Blake seems unaffected by these rumors." She smiled sheepishly at both Shizuma and her raven-haired lover. "You have to remember that Blake was often at the center of rumors and gossip back when we were all at Astraea Hill," she reminisced. "Especially when Shizuma was already pulling so many moves to get Blake to notice and eventually fall for her," she added. "Back then, Blake would have definitely reacted whenever she'd come across a rumor about her!" They all chuckled.

"I got used to it." Blake ran her fingers through her hair. "Besides, there was no point to being affected by the rumors when I was officially together with Shizuma."

"But then the rumors still continued and most of them were revolving around what you and Shizuma would do behind closed doors," Shion interrupted, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Do tell us! Did you and Shizuma _play around_ while we were still students on Astraea Hill?"

Shizuma's elegant eyebrows rose as she gazed back at her friends. "I'll let Blake answer this one," she said, already looking amused at how her lover was fidgeting in her seat.

They all turned to Blake and impatiently waited for her to answer. "Well?" they chorused.

"Define _play around_." The storm-gray eyed woman kept a straight face but everyone could see the visible red coloration appearing on their friend's face.

"I believe you know what they mean, Blake," Shizuma told the woman beside her.

Blake let out a sigh and scowled deeply. "I asked you to define what you meant by _play around_ because there are various meaning to it."

Kaname guffawed. "So you are implying that you and Shizuma have done many kinds of _playing around!_" She couldn't stop laughing and was joined in by Momomi, Shion and Amane.

Blake's face was now absolutely crimson as she struggled to explain herself to her friends. She had no success because every time she would open her mouth, nothing would come out.

Shizuma finally took pity on her lover and raised her hand to quiet their friends. "We did _play around_ behind closed doors," she started, holding on to Blake's hand in attempt to calm her down. "But we never went too far." She smiled. "Blake was still rather shy back then so I was limited to the usual kissing and some heavy petting whenever I got the chance."

"Hoy… you don't have to tell them everything," Blake muttered, reaching over and covering Shizuma's mouth with her hand. She was clearly embarrassed that they had to talk about this particular topic of all things.

"So you never went farther than that until recently?" Shion clarified.

"Yes," Shizuma replied, honesty clearly written on her face. "We only went _all the way_ recently. To be more specific, we've actually only done it twice," she explained, slapping away Blake's hand as it tried to cover her mouth once more. "In Kaname's beach hut and at Raine Skylar's house."

"Ok!" Blake exclaimed feeling flustered. "That should be enough for answers! Anyway, it's getting late." She glanced at her wristwatch. "I'm sure that most of us have to leave and go to work." She pushed herself away from the table and looked relieved when her other friends did the same.

"Do you have work, Blake?" Shizuma asked as she and Blake trudged up the stairs to collect their belongings. "You mentioned before that you were indefinitely given a leave of absence from the Lionheart organization."

Blake nodded her head. "The talks are done, but my presence in the organization's headquarters results to tension," she explained. "So technically, I'm on vacation." She grabbed her bag ad slung it over her shoulder. "How about you Shizuma? Do you have work? I could drop you off wherever you need to be at before I head home."

Shizuma shook her head as they headed down the stairs. "You've been acting as my chauffeur long enough." She stood on her tiptoes and gently pecked Blake on the lips. "Chikaru is heading to downtown New York this morning for some business so I asked if she could drop me off at the studio Jez is using today." She smiled and caressed Blake's cheek when her lover looked at her disapprovingly. "You need a vacation, Blake. I think Amane is heading back to her horse club today. Why don't you tag along with her and take Darkmoon for a ride?"

"Are you sure?"

The platinum-haired woman nodded and fixed her grip on her bag. "How about we have dinner later this evening?"

"My place?" Blake looked hopefully at her lover.

"That would be great!" Shizuma gave Blake a sultry wink before following Chikaru out of the house and into the younger woman's car. She gave Blake one last wave before Chikaru backed the car out of Kaname's driveway and headed down the road.

"If you don't want to head home just yet," Amane began, walking to Blake's side and clapping her soundly on the shoulder. "Why don't come along with me to the club? I'm sure you'll find a lot to do while we're there."

Blake nodded her head after much thought. "I guess I'll take you up on that offer. I'm sure Darkmoon wants some company," she told Amane with a grin. Giving her goodbyes to Momomi and Kaname who were heading off for the school, Blake and Amane headed outside and boarded the X5.

"Still feeling embarrassed over what happened earlier?" Amane asked as Blake drove at a steady pace. She had to admit that it was rather fun to tease Blake, but she never put as much effort to tease as compared to Kaname.

"Which particular event do you mean?" Blake replied in her usual sarcastic drawl. "The time when you and the others were asking Shizuma if we _played_ _around_ when we were younger or earlier this morning when all of you caught me and Shizuma naked in Kaname's beach hut?" she asked.

Amane chuckled. "The latter one you mentioned."

"Of course I was embarrassed," Blake huffed out, her eyes focused on the road ahead. "Shizuma was being…" she paused. "Quite forceful that night," she continued, glancing at Amane with the corners of her eyes. "I told her going to our room would have been a good idea, but she paid me no mind."

"Just like our Etoile to do what she wants," Amane said in an amused manner. "Shizuma-san was never the type of person to have herself denied of what she wants. Whatever she desires, she gets and fortunately for you," she gestured at Blake. "You are the one that she desired."

"Was it such a big deal?"

"Are you referring to Shizuma gunning for you?"

"Yeah."

Amane nodded. "Of course it was a big deal. Everyone thought that Shizuma would never get into another relationship after Kaori Sakuragi passed away. She did flirt a lot after that, but it was usually done half-heartedly. Then you came along and things changed."

"I didn't do much," Blake muttered.

"You did a lot," Amane retorted, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back comfortably against the car seat. "Things have been going well ever since and I've never seen Shizuma any happier than she is now." The equestrian glanced around the car before settling her eyes on Blake. "Did you bring your iPod? Let's listen to your music."

Half an hour later, Blake turned onto the familiar road leading to the expansive estates of the Aurora Fields Horse Club. "Should we stop at the main building?" Blake asked, slowing at the intersection that would bring them to either the dormitories or the main building.

"Head to the dormitories," Amane replied, pointing at the said building. "There shouldn't be any people yet in the main building and I do have to drop my things off at my room before we go to the stables."

Blake expertly parked the SUV in the small parking lot by the dormitories and turned the engine off. Hopping out of the car, she looked down at her clothes to check if they were fit enough to endure a riding session. Thankfully, she was dressed comfortably in fit black pants and one of her simple long-sleeved collared white shirts. As the raven-haired woman waited for Amane to take her bag from the backseat, Blake rolled up her sleeves up her arm and casually looked around. The fields were devoid of humanity except for the few horses that were out grazing.

"Ready?" Amane walked up to her side with an easy smile on her face. "Some of the other equestrians should be up by now." She looked at her wristwatch. "I'm guessing Alegra, Kyna, Erika and Emil are awake. The others usually sleep in on a Sunday. We could ask them if they're up for some riding." The light blue-haired woman led the way inside the dormitories and pushed open the door that would lead them into the common room. Just as she said, there were three women and one gray-haired young man who were present.

"Morning!" Emil was the first to give out a cheerful greeting as the two women entered the room. "You're here early. I would have thought that you'd arrive around lunch time after chaperoning at the school dance last night." He briskly saluted at Blake. "Nice to see you again, Blake," he greeted, glancing mischievously at Erika. All the members of the club knew that Erika secretly had a crush on Blake when she first visited with Dom.

Amane gestured for Blake to make herself comfortable on one of the couches. "Emil and the others will keep you company," she told her friend. "Give me a few minutes to go to my room and unpack then we could talk about riding." With that, she made her way out of the common room.

"So were you able to fix things between you and Shizuma last night?" Emil asked, scooting over on the couch to accommodate the raven-haired woman.

Blake nodded and sank onto the couch while the three women present settled themselves on another nearby couch. "Pretty much," she replied with a grin. "She didn't like it though that I was smoking. She does not fault you though," she assured the younger man.

The salt and pepper-haired man laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "That's a relief," he said. "I would want to stay in the good graces of Shizuma after all. From what I hear, she's a rising model and musician."

"Are you talking about _the _Shizuma Hanazono?" Kyna asked, a look of interest on her face.

"Yes," Emil replied.

Kyna grabbed a magazine from a nearby rack and quickly flipped through a few pages. She stared at magazine for a few seconds then stared at Blake. "You're a model too?" she questioned. Noting the confused look on Blake's face, she showed her the same fashion magazine that had Jez's line of clothing modeled by her and Shizuma in it.

Blake shook her head. "That was just a one-time job that I was forced to take because the fashion designer suddenly needed a substitute model. I just happened to be where the shoot was at the right place and time." She waved off the compliments of the three women and scowled at her pictures in the magazine.

"So if Shizuma is a model and a musician, what is it that you do?" Erika threw the question at Blake in a cheery voice. The woman glared at the snickering Emil before directing a warm smile at the storm gray-eyed woman.

"Well I work for the Lionheart organization," Blake explained, not wanting to explain any further. "Right now though, I'm on leave." That was another thing she didn't want to explain. It would have been far too complicated to tell these people about her real role in the organization.

"Wow! I hear it's great to work in that organization! Not to mention you get good pay," Alegra pointed out. "The organization sends their members and employees to various countries around the world, right?" The question was answered by a nod from Blake. "So you probably have gone all over the world by now."

"Well… I have been to quite a few countries ever since I joined the organization," Blake replied. _Although the only reason why I did go from one country to the other was to shake off any pursuers from ShadowLabs, _she thought to herself. She continued to answer the questions of the equestrians around her until Amane came back into the common room. Her friend was carrying a pair of riding boots.

"Blake and I are planning to go riding," Amane told the other equestrians. "Would you like to join us? A morning ride is more enjoyable with a group." With that suggestion made, Amane, Blake and the rest of the equestrians made their way out of the dormitories and headed to the stables. Amane and the rest of the members went into the stables to saddle their horses while Blake jumped over the fence to meet Darkmoon. It took her a few more minutes to get the Friesian out of his enclosure and into the stable where she saddled him.

By the time led the temperamental Friesian outside, the horse club members were already mounted and itching to gallop across the fields. "Sorry to keep you waiting," she apologized. "Darkmoon still isn't used to his tack." She carefully mounted the Friesian and rode to where the others were waiting. "Shall we go then?" She lightly kicked Darkmoon's sides, urging him into an easy trot first then into a canter.

Amane and Blake led the group while the mounted Emil took the rear as they raced across the fields. Two hours had passed by the time Blake and the rest of her companions realized that they should give their horses a break. Emil pointed out a nice shady spot where they could rest and let their horses graze and have a drink of water from a nearby stream. As the horse club members urged their horses forward, Blake remained behind to survey her surroundings. Thinking about it, the Aurora Fields Horse Club resembled Astraea Hill in many ways from the patches of forest dotting the club's estates to the simple lush green fields. It made a rather nostalgic moment for Blake as she nudged Darkmoon to go to the spot where her companions now rested in. Just then, her cellphone started to ring and vibrate in her pants pocket. Wondering who could be calling her, Blake took the cellphone and looked to see that Kairos' name flashed on the small screen. "Hello Kairos," she greeted.

"_Blake! Where are you?!" _Kairos demanded, raising his voice as the background became noisier.

"I'm at the horse club," Blake replied, frowning at the noise in the background. "Why is there so much noise there?"

"_Forget about that! I want you to get to the organization now!" _

Blake pulled the phone away, her ear smarting from her guardian's shout. "Do you need to shout?" she demanded, feeling a little bit cross. "And why should I go to organization now?"

"_Don't ask and just do as I say before-"_

A sudden explosion threw Blake off Darkmoon's back, sprawling the woman on the ground as dirt and small rocks bombarded her body. The raven-haired woman rolled to lie face down on the ground and protected her head, as rocks pelted her skin and drew blood. When the assault seemed over, Blake pushed herself to her knees and looked several feet away to see a rather large crater on the ground. Gusts of wind buffeted her body as she got to her feet to check if her companions were alright. "What the hell?!" she cursed as the winds seemingly became stronger. She looked up at the sky and started to curse more. A black Chinook helicopter hovered above her, its open doors revealing the cause of the explosion. Several men outfitted in combat boots, camouflage pants and black body armor stood by its doors. Blake could see that the unknown men all had hoods that covered their heads and a black cloth that covered their face from the nose to the neck and expertly held submachine guns. The only exception was a lone soldier who was aiming at Blake with an Anza rocket launcher.

"Shit! Take cover!" Blake shouted at Amane and the others who all ducked behind the cover of the nearby trees. As she guessed, the soldier launched another missile at her. Blake sprinted as far away as she could from the blast zone and braced herself enough to withstand the shockwave.

"Blake! Behind you!" someone shouted.

Whirling around, the raven-haired woman scowled deeply as the unknown soldiers descended from the airborne helicopter on ropes. One man reached the ground ahead of his companions and quickly detached himself from his harness, aiming his gun at Blake. Trusting her instincts and the training she went through with Kairos, the raven-haired woman bent her knees slightly then charged forward to meet the first wave of attackers. Just as she expected, the man unleashed a barrage of bullets upon her. Managing to escape uninjured, Blake dove to the ground to evade the next round of speeding bullets then rolled back up to her feet to stand face to face with a panicked-looking soldier. Blake snarled at the man who took aim once more at her before snapping a kick behind the man's calves, which threw him onto his back. She didn't hesitate to grab the fallen soldier's gun and shoot a few rounds through the man's head. Straightening with a grim look on her face, her storm gray eyes looked to the skies to see six more men descending down from ropes as they unleashed a rain of bullets on the ground below.

"Damn it!" Blake cursed, stooping down and hurriedly rummaging through the dead soldier's belongings. She knew that she needed to salvage what she could from the soldier she just killed if she wanted to live. As the bullets hit closer and closer to where she knelt, Blake managed to get a full clip of ammo, a flash grenade and a combat knife from the soldier's utility belt. With no time to waste, she then made a break for a boulder several yards away. She was clearly outnumbered and she needed a place for cover as she devised a plan. Diving behind the boulder, Blake sucked in needed air to rejuvenate her heaving lungs. She pressed her back against the boulder and sidled along it enough so that she could peek around it. The six soldiers were now on the ground and checking their equipment. One man who looked to be their leader signaled to the remaining soldier who held the Anza rocket launcher on the Chinook, which Blake interpreted as a command for him to stay in position while the helicopter hovered above. Now the leader hand-signaled his men to proceed towards their target's hiding place. Blake leaned back against the rough surface of the boulder, her brows furrowing as she struggled to formulate a strategy with the things she had. The sub-machine gun she had was a good light weapon, but it lacked power to break through body armor. If she planned to kill the men with this type of gun, she would need to be up close or get them by shooting at their heads and necks. There was another problem. Sub-machine guns were not as accurate as compared to other guns so it was easier said than done to kill via headshots. The combat knife she got from the first soldier she killed would only help her if she was forced to deal with the men in close quarters, but she wouldn't dare try that. A smile lit on Blake's face as she palmed the flash grenade and looked at it carefully. Now this was something she could use to her advantage. The sub-machine gun's lack of accuracy would be a disadvantage to her especially since she's dealing with moving targets. With the flash grenade, it would temporarily distract and immobilize the attack team and perhaps give her enough time to take down as many men as she could then finish the job with the combat knife if there were any men left.

"What about that soldier with the rocket launcher?" Blake asked herself. She shook her head vigorously. "No! I'll deal with him later. Right now, I have to take those men out." Gripping the flash grenade, Blake made her way back to the edge of the boulder and peeked around it carefully. It would take around five seconds before the flash grenade would explode after pulling the pin. Blake needed to time her throw so that it would explode above the heads of the soldiers. Muttering a short prayer, Blake pulled the pin, held it for two seconds then lobbed it into the air with deadly accuracy. Luckily, her aim was right as the grenade exploded in a bright flash that blinded the men momentarily. Jumping out, Blake sprinted towards the confused men who frantically rubbed their eyes with their hands and quickly shot down two men with the remaining ammo in the gun. Holding the gun with her left hand, Blake fished out her remaining ammo clip and the combat knife. She jammed the ammo clip into the gun and moved forward to dispatch the next soldier with a knife slash across the throat. The man went down, blood spurting out of his slashed throat as Blake pulled up her submachine gun and quickly shot bullets through the fifth man's head. She turned around, surveying her surroundings for the remaining soldier and let out a cry of pain as a bullet grazed the top of her shoulder and ripped through her flesh. Dropping to her knees, she aimed the gun at the remaining soldier and used up all the remaining ammo on him. Thankfully, one of her bullets embedded itself into the man's forehead.

Blake struggled to get back on her feet, but found it difficult to do so as gusts from the Chinook's helicopter blades pushed her down. She looked up to the sky and saw that the black helicopter was hovering around fifteen feet above her and that the lone soldier with the rocket launcher was taking aim at her. Knowing that she had to do something soon before she got blown apart, Blake took her remaining weapon, the combat knife and gripped its hilt tightly. She had only done it a handful of times, but she had nothing else up her sleeves. After taking aim, Blake threw the knife with all her strength at the airborne soldier, hoping that it would somehow hit her target. A triumphant look formed on her face when the combat knife embedded itself in the unprotected throat of the soldier. Blake stood aside as the man's body fell from the helicopter doors and thumped against the ground. There was only the helicopter to deal with. Blake strode towards the befallen soldier and reclaimed her combat knife, noticing that the pilot had forgotten to retract the ropes. Setting the knife between her teeth, Blake ran towards one of the ropes and grabbed hold of it. She hoped that her arms had enough strength to haul her up to the helicopter. Blake climbed up, feeling the rope bite into her palms. Halfway up, the pilot began to do crazy maneuvers to make Blake lose her grip. Sweat trailed down Blake's face as she held on for her life, wrapping her legs around the rope. Blake was continuing her course up the rope when the helicopter suddenly jerked to the side hard, making the raven-haired woman lose her grip almost completely if not for her remaining hand that clutched onto the rope. She hung dangerously for a few seconds, before getting her other hand around the rope. She continued to inch her way up, feeling the muscles in her arms burn and the bullet wound on her shoulder stretch painfully.

Finally, Blake pulled herself into the helicopter with a grunt. Grabbing hold of a nearby seatbelt on the wall to gain her balance, Blake took the knife from between her teeth and stealthily made her way to the cockpit. The pilot was leaning to the left and looking out his window, perhaps to check if Blake was still on the ropes or had already fallen to the ground. Quietly ambling forward, Blake slung her arm around the man's face, forcing his head back as she brought the knife across his neck. Pushing the bleeding man out of his seat, Blake sat herself in the pilot's seat and grabbed the helicopter's joystick. Blake had limited knowledge when it came to aircrafts, but she knew that the joystick controlled the direction. Looking to the side, Blake spotted a large lever and figured that it controlled the speed of the helicopter blades. She slowly pushed the lever upward, and felt the helicopter descend. She kept her other hand on the joystick to steady the aircraft as she made her way to the ground. Feeling a jolt that signaled that the helicopter had landed on the ground, Blake pushed the lever all the way up to stop the rotating helicopter blades. She leaned back against the uncomfortable pilot seat, exhausted from her efforts. After a few moments of rest, the storm gray-eyed woman shakily got to her feet and made her way to the doors. She jumped down to meet a suited man running towards her.

"Are you alright?" The man asked when he got to Blake. He frowned at the bleeding on her shoulder. "I was at the parking lot when I got the call from Sir Blackthorn. I apologize for not getting here any sooner. I had to run from the parking lot."

Blake waved off the apology of the man and looked at him carefully. "Are you one of Kairos' men?" she asked. The man who stood before her now was probably one of the guards that Kairos had assigned to protect their friends.

"I am," he replied. "I was assigned to keep an eye on the woman named Amane." He handed her Blake's cellphone, which miraculously survived. "I picked it up back there. What would you like to do now?" He stood at attention, his back straight and his hands behind his back.

Blake winced in pain as she put a hand over her wounded shoulder. "Contact Kairos and inform him of what happened then ask him what the current situation is," she ordered. "If my guess is correct, this is the work of ShadowLabs, but there's no harm to checking the soldiers for any indication that they are from that blasted organization." She looked past the agent and spotted Amane and their companions making their way towards them. From where Blake stood, she could tell that none of the equestrians were harmed.

Amane was the first to reach her while Emil escorted the other three women. "You're hurt!" she cried out disapprovingly.

"We saw everything from where we hid," Emil pointed out, a look of awe on his face. "Thankfully, those men didn't come after us. Where did you learn to fight like that?" he demanded. "I've never seen anything like what you did! And to think you climbed up the rope to the helicopter injured! Now that's a feat to remember!"

"I picked it up from Kairos and a few other people. Not to mention it's in my blood," she added in a mutter.

"Blood?" Kyna asked, clearly confused.

While Amane explained Blake's answer to her friends, the raven-haired woman made her way to the fallen bodies of the soldiers and began to look through their equipment. They were probably well-trained or briefed very well because Blake could not find any personal information on each of them. One man had a walkie-talkie strapped to his belt, which Blake took and turned on. If she was lucky, the 

channel that was on would give her a clue to who was responsible for this attack. Putting the walkie-talkie close to her mouth, she called out. "I hope you're there whoever you are," she said ominously. "If you planned to have me killed, then I'm sorry to inform you that you were unsuccessful." Blake waited for a few seconds and was about to throw the communication device away when a voice came on.

"_I see that you disposed of the men I sent, 22,018._"

Blake blinked as she recognized the sinister voice that addressed her. "Hunter," she growled. "If you wish to dispose of me, then you should have sent more men. I will not be killed easily by a squad of soldiers."

Hunter Redfern chuckled. _"I know that 22,018,"_ he replied. _"I am not stupid enough to send just a squad to accomplish a feat such as killing _the_ Blake Saberhart," _he drawled. _"The men served their purpose though." _

"They what?!" Blake demanded, her hand that gripped the device shaking in her fury. "You sacrificed the lives of your men for no reason?!"

"_I would not send out my men to die for no reason, 22,018,_" Hunter told the former ShadowLabs experimental subject. _"Let's just say that they were a distraction. For now, I must take my leave and attend to… other business. When I see you again Saberhart, you will be dead."_ He ceased talking.

Blake through the walkie-talkie aside and strode to the agent who just finished talking on the cellphone. "What news from Kairos?" she asked, allowing Amane to wrap a crude bandage made out of the ripped sleeve from Emil's shirt around her wounded shoulder.

"It's bad," the agent informed. "There were several more attacks that happened simultaneously to this one. The Lionheart organization headquarters is being besieged while other important landmarks and buildings are also being attacked. He organization and the government have sent out their forces to meet the attacks. There's a hotel being attacked too, but it does not make any sense why it's being targeted."

"A hotel?" Blake queried.

The agent nodded. "The transmission was breaking up when Sir Blackthorn was explaining why it was a target. I could only make out the words 'photo shoot' and 'Leix' before the line got cut."

"Shit!" Blake cursed. She knew very well why that particular hotel was being attacked. If she was right, the hotel was the venue for Jez's next photo shoot. That also meant that Shizuma was there with Kairos' younger sister. "That bastard! He sent these men to distract me on purpose while ShadowLabs attacks the organization and the city! It's highly possible that he will attempt to kidnap Shizuma again so that he could manipulate me to join them."

"We should hurry then," the agent suggested. "If we take my car, I could get us to downtown New York in less than an hour. I have authorization to drive beyond the speed limit given certain circumstances."

Blake shook her head. "We'll waste time if we take the cars," she pointed out, thinking deeply.

"What do you suggest then?"

The raven-haired woman glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "By any chance, would you happen to know how to fly a Chinook helicopter?"

* * *

Of all the days ShadowLabs had to pick to stage an attack, it had to be today. The Lionheart organization had arranged to hold a conference to discuss several important matters. It was an important event that was held annually and usually had all the leaders of each branch of the organization in attendance. Kairos was having a hell of a time trying to keep the unknown soldiers back and at the same time call out orders to his men to protect the vicinity. Right now, he took cover behind one of the massive stone columns that stood at the entrance of the headquarters of the organization. 

He was down four men and he was having trouble containing the onrush of soldiers that struggled to gain access to the building.

"I need reinforcements!" Kairos shouted into his walkie-talkie. "The entrance will be breached if I don't get any more men here!" He pocketed the walkie-talkie once more then cocked his Beretta gun. He snapped away from the cover of the column, gunned down three men and hid behind the column once more.

"_Blackthorn, we cannot spare anymore men from our forces! They are all in their own battles in various points in the perimeter of the building. We have already informed the police and hopefully they will arrive soon to aid you."_

Kairos frowned as he put the device near his mouth. "Didn't you listen to my report? ShadowLabs isn't just attacking our organization! The police will have their hands full in different areas of the city!" He flinched as a bullet chipped off parts of the stone column. "Look! I only have five men left defending this entrance and we're dealing with at least fifteen armed soldiers! If you get me at least three more men, I think I'll be able to handle this job!"

"_There is no one available Blackthorn!" _

"Damn it!" The blonde-haired man cursed, peeking around the column to see most of the attackers taking cover behind two cars. He had to whittle down their numbers somehow, but then it was easier said than done. Out of the nine men that he had originally brought to confront the attackers, six of them were rookies. Now he had five men, three of which were rookies while two were veterans in his team. They were faced with another problem. They were running out of ammunition fast. "Brown! Terry!" he shouted the last names of his two veteran agents. "Conserve our ammo! Don't shoot unless you're sure to hit someone!" He hand-signaled his men to prepare to attack then took a deep breath to calm himself. After collecting himself and pushing a fresh clip of ammo into his gun, Kairos got out of the cover of the column and began his assault. They managed to put down six of their enemies when one of his veteran agents took a bullet in his chest and two of the rookies just ran out of bullets. "Retreat now!" Kairos shouted as he continued his barrage, glancing back quickly to see that his uninjured veteran agent was dragging the wounded man to shelter. _Shit! They're going to get through our defenses and I'm sure they're not going to leave any of us alive._ He aimed his gun at a soldier who peeked above the top of a car and cursed loudly. Instead of the explosive sound of bullets leaving the barrel, his ears were met by empty clicking.

"Sir! Take cover!" One of his men shouted from behind a column.

He wasn't going to make it even if he tried. The soldiers would shoot him down if he were to run for cover. "Get inside and barricade the doors!" Kairos ordered, facing the guns that were aimed at him.

"Run for it, sir!" The men stood their ground hoping to convince their leader to retreat with them. For a moment, they thought they would be hearing the familiar sounds of bullets whizzing through the air and embedding themselves into flesh, but were surprised to be deafened by the sound of furiously rotating helicopter blades.

Kairos looked up, just as startled as his men and the enemy soldiers. Above them flew a black Chinook helicopter with a person with dark raven-black hair leaning out of its doors and aiming an Anza rocket launcher at the ground. The blonde-haired man turned, sprinted for the cover of a column and dove behind it just as his charge launched a missile at one car that shielded the enemy soldiers. In an explosion of scrap metal and burning bodies, Blake was able to take down seven men. The other surviving soldiers were struggling to get back on their feet after the shockwave of the explosion threw them onto the ground. Without any hesitation, Blake reloaded the rocket launcher then shot another missile at the remaining car, blowing it and the rest of the soldiers apart. Peeking to see if the coast was clear, Kairos then stepped away from behind the column and jogged out onto the open ground, waving his arms in the air.

Fortunately, there was a big enough space in front of the headquarters' entrance for the Chinook helicopter to land in. As the helicopter settled onto the ground, a roughly bandaged Blake jumped out, discarding the rocket launcher as she met with her relieved guardian. "Thank God you came!" Kairos exclaimed, grabbing his charge in a fierce hug. "It's good that you're relatively unharmed," he nodded at the bandaged shoulder. "I'm surprised to see that you were able to use an Anza rocket launcher. We only got as far as the sniper rifles," he said, amusement twinkling in his eyes.

"Never mind that," Blake replied with a scowl. "Does the organization need any more help here?" She looked around, a grim look forming on her face when a whiff of burnt flesh reached her nose. She watched as her guardian brought out his walkie-talkie and conversed for a few moments.

"Looks like things are under control here," Kairos told his charge after putting away the communications device.

"Then we are not needed here then," Blake said with utmost seriousness evident in her face and voice. "We need to get to that hotel where Jez and Shizuma are at," she told her guardian. "I'm sure that the Redferns plan to take Shizuma again so that they could manipulate me into giving up."

"Sir!" Someone shouted from afar.

Kairos turned around and saw two of his men lugging a large metal crate towards them. "Good! You brought it!" He waited for his men to drop the crate before he kicked the top off. Inside was an array of handguns, assault rifles, one sniper rifle and dozens of clips of different kinds of ammo. "We'll go to the hotel, but not unarmed." Kairos took two automatic Beretta handguns and handed them to Blake. He then fished out a shoulder holster and tossed it to his charge. "Put that on and put one of the guns in the holster." He took a look at the ammo clips in the crate then waited as another pair of men came carrying another crate. "You need something to hold more ammo and other equipment," he told Blake, taking the top off the new crate and pulling out a military style black jacket. "This is a specially designed jacket with enough pockets to hold a variety of weapons, ammo and other equipment. It'll also hide the shoulder holster that you'll be wearing." He let Blake slip the shoulder holster and jacket on, before giving her all the equipment she needed. First, he placed the gun on the holster part of the shoulder holster then put two clips of ammo on the other strap. Afterwards, he placed an additional three clips of ammo in the jacket pockets then handed Blake a brand new combat knife.

Blake stepped closer to the opened crates and looked through them. "I should bring one of these," she mentioned, grabbing hold of a flash grenade. If we're going to be sneaking into the hotel building, this will probably come in handy for a distraction." She placed the grenade in another hidden pocket. The raven-haired woman checked if her equipment was in place, then watched as her guardian prepared his own equipment. The blonde-haired man took a fresh Beretta handgun and slung an FN SCAR assault rifle on his back.

"Are we ready?" Blake asked as her guardian took several clips of ammo from the crate.

Kairos nodded. "We have to get to the hotel quickly. My car is in the parking lot," he stated, making a move for the parking lot.

Blake reached out and gripped the arm of her guardian. "We'll be too slow and you did say that ShadowLabs is attacking other areas," she reminded the older man. "It'll mean traffic."

Kairos sighed. "You're right. Traffic will be heavy especially with what's been happening and if we were to reach the hotel, a ground assault would probably just end in failure."

"You're right about the ground assault," Blake admitted and pointed at an approaching man who had just jumped out of the stolen Chinook helicopter. "How about we try for more subtle style of assault?" she suggested. She watched as a wide smile formed on her guardian's weary face. "We'll go in and surprise those bastards by air."

* * *

"Of all the days! Why did terrorists have to pick today to stage an attack?!"

"Jez…" Shizuma let out wearily as she and several other people cowered behind the locked doors of their rented conference room. "This is not the right time to complain about terrorists ruining your photo shoot. We should be worrying about the safety of our lives." Jez had rented out a large conference room on the sixteenth floor of the twenty-two storey hotel. They were just about to start the photo shoot when they heard gunshots and the blare of sirens outside of the hotel. It was only a few moments afterward when they realized that the hotel had been taken over by unknown and armed men.

"Yes I know Shizuma!" Jez scowled as she herded her assistants, staff and other models into a safe corner of the room where couches could serve as cover from bullets. Aside from herself, Shizuma, the photographer and the other assistants, there were four young female models with them. "There's no other way for us to escape though. Let's just hope that the terrorists don't get to this floor."

Shizuma nodded her head and turned to comfort a crying female model. "We'll be alright," she assured the younger woman, putting an arm around the model's shoulders. "There are far more important people in this hotel compared to us who could be the targets of these terrorists."

"Let's also hope that you're right about that," Jez muttered as she squatted behind the couch along with the rest of her companions. "I just find it strange that they would choose to attack a hotel instead of city hall or something like that."

The platinum-haired woman tossed her hair over her shoulder. "You're right about that," she agreed. "It doesn't make any sense that they would target a hotel."

"Shhh!" the photographer hissed, pressing himself lower to the ground. "I heard something!" He and the rest of their group went silent as they heard the approaching sounds of hurried footsteps outside of the conference room. Then they all heard the unmistakable sound of the doorknob being rattled.

"It's locked, sir!" A man's rough voice sounded from beyond the doors. "Perhaps it's locked because it is not in use."

"I don't give a damn if it's locked," another man growled. "Search all the conference rooms. Our informant tells us that one conference room is occupied." The knob was violently rattled. "Shoot the lock off!"

"Oh shit," Jez cursed as they heard a gunshot and metal clanking against the wooden floor.

* * *

"Are you sure that you and Blake are enough to lead the assault?" The agent who piloted the Chinook helicopter asked Kairos who braced himself against the wall of the chopper. The helicopter hovered several feet above the roof of the hotel. It took them less than five minutes to travel by air from the organization to the hotel.

Kairos shifted his footing. "We'll be fine. Blake and I will be more inconspicuous if it's just going to be the two of us." He turned his head to see that his charge was getting ready for the assault. "I do want you to get reinforcements and post them around the hotel building to prevent any escapes." He tapped the walkie-talkie attached to his belt. "I'll contact you as soon as the assault is over." He and Blake stepped towards the doors of the chopper and grabbed hold of the ropes. "Ready?" he asked his charge before stepping out of the chopper and carefully descended the length of rope. After both he and his charge touched down on the rooftop, Kairos waved at his agent who saluted at him from the cockpit before flying off.

"So what's our strategy?" Blake asked as she gripped one of her Beretta handguns and turned the safety off. "We're sure that Jez and Shizuma are in this hotel, but we have no idea their specific location," she informed the older man. "Not to mention we also don't know how many soldiers are in there conducting the attack."

Kairos knelt down on the rooftop and proceeded to ready his assault rifle. "I overheard Jez saying that she rented a conference room for the shoot. The thing is there are conference rooms on various floors of this hotel. There are a couple in the lobby, the fifteenth and sixteenth floors and the twentieth floor of this hotel."

Blake frowned at the shared information. "That means we'll just have to start from the top and make our way to the bottom." She let out a weary sigh. "There's no other way besides this anyway. What about our assault strategy?"

"I'll take lead and you take the rear," Kairos said. "I'm more experienced with leading these kinds of assaults and I trust you enough to back me up and guard my back," he explained, getting back to his feet and walking towards the rooftop access door. "I'll move in first then I'll signal to you to follow." Kairos quietly opened the door and slipped inside, silently moving down the stairs and pressing his back into a wall to peek around the corner. After a few seconds of surveying the hall, the man signaled for his charge to follow.

Blake stealthily made her way down the stairs and pressed herself against the wall while Kairos moved on ahead, his assault rifle poised in his hands. Blake peered around the corner and watched cautiously, her gun in her hand as Kairos reached an intersection. Her guardian pressed himself the wall once more as he peered around the corner to look down the new hallway. Another hand signal came and Blake made her way to her guardian side.

"The conference room is down this hallway," Kairos whispered. "So far I don't hear anything, but let's be cautious." He pointed at the conference doors with the tip of his rifle. "I'll make my way to the far side of those doors. After I give my signal, you come over and take your position on the near side then we'll listen for activity."

Blake nodded her head, not wanting to speak. She was being overly cautious, but she knew it was better to be that way than to be careless. Even the slightest bit of carelessness leads to a waste of lives in assaults like this one. She could only hear her own heart beating as she watched Kairos move down the hallway and take his position by the conference room's doors. She then stalked down the hall after receiving the signal and positioned herself on the other side of the door. Pointing at her ears and moving her hand across her throat, Blake informed Kairos that she heard nothing on the other side.

The blonde-haired man nodded and gently placed his hand on top of the doorknob. He twisted it noiselessly, opened the door an inch and peered inside for a few seconds before closing it. "No one there," he whispered, jerking his thumb down the hallway to where the elevators and stairs were. "We'll need to check the next floors."

"No elevators though," Blake reminded in a whisper. "The soldiers will see the elevator panel light up if we use it." She pointed at a door leading to the stairs. "It would be best if we use the stairs."

Kairos nodded. "We'll proceed with your plan then." They both went through the door and proceeded to descend the stairs quietly, making sure that their footsteps did not produce any echoes. They had reached the eighteenth floor when Kairos held his hand up, signaling Blake to stop. He pressed his back against the wall beside the door that would lead them onto the eighteenth floor. Surely enough, Blake could hear the faint voice of a man on the other side of the door.

"This hall is secure, sir. There are a few rooms that are occupied, but they are locked inside," the lone soldier reported. It seemed that he was reporting to his superior through a cell phone. "Yes sir," he replied. "Half of our group is on the lower floors since we were just informed that there's a team gathering at the entrance of the hotel. The other half are on the sixteenth floor. I'll report back to you if anything occurs. I'm on my way to the nineteenth floor."

Kairos put a finger to his lips then held his assault rifle over his head. If his guess was correct, the lone soldier was going to go through the door beside him and use the stairs to get to the floor above. He waited patiently as Blake backed away and attached a silencer to her Beretta gun. Silence and stealth was their best weapon and Kairos' agents often called working pair of Blake and Kairos the "Duo 

Shadows." Just then, the door was pulled open and a soldier dressed in a similar fashion to those men who attacked Blake at the horse club stepped through. Lightning fast, Kairos brought his rifle down and rapped the soldier's head with the butt of his rifle. Kairos handed his assault rifle to Blake and knelt down to drag the soldier's body away from the doorway. Grabbing a pair of handcuffs from inside his pants' pocket, he snapped one cuff around the stairs' railing and the other one around the wrist of the unconscious sentry. He then took the cellphone of the soldier and put it in his pocket. "He'll be out for a while and he won't be able to call for help nor escape."

Blake handed her guardian his rifle back as they went down a few more flights of stairs. "So I'm assuming that the soldier meant that Jez and Shizuma are on the sixteenth floor?" she asked the older man.

Kairos nodded, pausing on the seventeenth floor. "He said that half of their group is stationed on the sixteenth floor. We won't be able to break through if it's just the two of us." He stood there thinking deeply. "Look, I'll distract them. I'm going to try to at least lure most of the soldier away from the conference room on the sixteenth floor," he suggested. "While I do that, I need you to sneak into the conference room somehow." He looked around and spotted an air duct one floor below them. "That air duct looks big enough for you to crawl through."

Blake frowned. "I'll make a lot of noise if I go through that," she whispered. "The soldiers will be quick to hear the noise and shoot bullets through the air ducts."

"That won't happen," Kairos assured his charge. "I'll be distracting them remember? There'll be a lot of noise when I do that so they most probably won't hear you crawling through the ducts. Are you alright with the plan?"

Blake nodded her head in agreement as she and Kairos went down one more flight of stairs to reach the air duct. She watched as her guardian reached up, yanked the duct's cover off and set it down on the ground. Kairos then linked his hands together in front of him and motioned for Blake to put her foot onto his hands so that he could boost her up. The raven-haired woman allowed herself to be boosted up by her guardian into the air duct and stayed still to hear the last orders of the older man.

"You'll have to listen for gunshots," Kairos told her. "That'll be your signal to start moving down the air duct. "I'm sure that this air duct connects to every room on this floor. You'll just have to listen and peek through the gratings to check if Shizuma and Jez are there."

"Take care of yourself Kairos," Blake told her guardian, before letting him walk off. She stayed there on her hands and knees, waiting for the signal she and her guardian had agreed upon. Three minutes of silence had gone by when she heard an audible shout from the distance and the sounds of gunshots. "Here goes," Blake whispered to herself as she began to crawl down the narrow duct.

* * *

Back in the conference room, four armed men stood inside a few feet away from the opened doors. They pointed their machine guns at the corner of the room, spotting the group of people hiding behind a couple of long couches.

"You were right, captain," one soldier said. "This conference room was occupied." He stepped forward along with his companions, still aiming their guns at the group hiding behind the couches. "There's no use hiding! Come out from there!"

Jez sighed and nodded at her companions. She was the first to get to her feet and step around the couch. "We're coming out," she told the soldiers as the rest of her companions got to their feet and grouped around Jez. "What is it that you want with us?" she asked. "I doubt that we have any significance to you."

"Shut up bitch!" Another soldier barked, threatening Jez with his gun. "You only talk if we ask a question!"

Jez rolled her emerald green eyes. "Well what's your question then?" she asked rather sarcastically, feeling Shizuma grip her forearm warningly.

The soldier was about to shout another threat to Jez, but was cut off when the soldier beside him rammed his booted foot into the noisy soldier's shins. "You be quiet!" he growled at the soldier. "I'm the one who does the talking here." He then stared at the group of people before them. "We're only here for one reason," he began. "Our orders are to search this hotel for a woman by the name of Shizuma Hanazono and bring her to our leader." His eyes travelled down the row of six women. "Which of you is Shizuma Hanazono?"

Shizuma was surprised that she was the one the soldiers were looking for. She glanced at Jez with the corners of her eyes and felt the younger Blackthorn sibling squeeze her hand. Jez looked at her worriedly as the soldier started to shout at them.

"Don't waste our time!" The leader of the soldiers shouted. "One of you has to be the woman we're looking for! If you don't come forward, I'm afraid we'll have to start killing." He loaded his gun and pointed it menacingly at the group of civilians. "Well? I'll count to three," the soldier told them. "If none of you step forward, then I'll start shooting each of you one by one." He smiled sadistically at them as he started his count. "One… two…thr-" the soldier stopped count as gunshots echoed outside the room. "What the hell?!" He grabbed his cellphone and hurriedly dialed a number. "Status report!" he barked into the mouthpiece of the phone. "There's an intruder?" he sputtered. "And we're down seven men?!" he demanded. "Kill the intruder immediately! We'll wrap things up here quick and get out as quickly as possible!" He hung up and fired a few shots through a nearby window. "Look," he told the group. "I'm in no mood to wait, so Shizuma Hanazono better step forward."

Jez let out a sigh and stepped forward. "Looks like I don't have a choice," she let out.

Shizuma reached out and tried to grab hold of the fashion designer. "What the hell are you doing?!" she demanded.

"I'm trying to save everyone, _Jez_," the fashion designer told the platinum-haired woman. "I'll be alright," she assured the others as she made her way towards the soldiers. She had gotten halfway across the room when one of the soldiers frowned at her.

"Boss," the soldier began. "Didn't our informant tell us that this Shizuma Hanazono had platinum colored hair?" He pointed at Shizuma who stood with the rest of the group at the back of the room. "This isn't the one then," he indicated Jez who had stopped in the middle of the room.

"Thought you could trick us, eh?" The leader snarled, crooking his finger at the real Shizuma. "Come on Miss Hanazono. One trick is enough to try our patience." He glared at Jez. "As for you, go back to the group."

"Sorry," Jez whispered to Shizuma as they walked past each other.

When Shizuma had gotten to the middle of the room, the leader of the soldiers grinned and pointed at the Jez and the others. "Waste them," he ordered in a bored tone, watching as his men cocked their weapons and took aim at the horrified women.

Suddenly rectangular sheet of metal fell from the ceiling and clanged noisily as it hit the ground. The surprised soldiers looked up and watched as a figure clothed in black dropped down from a hole in the ceiling, a Beretta handgun in her hands. Three soldiers struggled to adjust their aim as the unknown intruder landed on the floor, knees slightly bent. Almost immediately, the intruder launched forward, grabbing their shocked leader by the throat and throwing him down onto the ground. Their fingers shook at the trigger as the attacker methodically fired round after round into their leader's head. Finally, the remaining soldiers aimed their guns at the intruder ready to kill. Before they could let out any bullets, the assailant pulled out a second Beretta gun from inside her black military jacket and proceeded to unleash rounds of bullets upon them using both guns.

One by one, the three soldiers fell and remained as motionless on the ground as their leader. The unknown rescuer, slowly got up to her feet from her kneeling position and kicked at the bodies to make sure they were dead. She then turned around and regarded the group with storm gray eyes. "Are you alright?"

Jez goggled at their rescuer before breaking out in a smile. "Blake! You're the assault team that those soldiers were talking about?" she demanded, looking shocked. She continued to stare as Blake holstered one Beretta handgun.

Blake shook her head. "Kairos is the other member of the assault team. He's the one who distracted the other guards while I crawled through the air ducts to get here. I believe he has already disposed the remaining guards on this floor." She looked over the group carefully. "Are you sure all of you are alright?" she asked once more, her eyes finally locking with familiar amber orbs. Before she knew what was happening, Blake felt someone's body barrel into her while arms wrapped tightly around her. She blinked and looked down, realizing that Shizuma was hugging her fiercely. "I'm glad you're safe," she said softly, setting one hand on the small of her lover's back and running her other hand through Shizuma's soft platinum hair.

"You're hurt," Shizuma pointed out, running a gentle finger on the crude bandage wrapped around Blake's shoulder, which peeked through her military jacket.

"It's nothing serious," Blake assured her lover, nuzzling Shizuma's neck affectionately.

Jez cleared her throat and watched as Blake and Shizuma shot apart in embarrassment. "If the touching reunions are done, may I ask how will we be getting out of here?" She stooped down and grabbed one of the machine guns of the dead soldiers. The female models were whispering heatedly at each other, their eyes focused on Blake and Shizuma.

Kairos strode into the conference room with a bloody arm. "The floor is clear," he announced, stooping down to allow his younger sister to hug him. "I called the Chinook helicopter to airlift us from the roof and ordered our men to distract the men on the lower floors to give us enough time to escape." He noted down the held weapon of his sister with approval and grabbed the remaining two guns from the dead soldiers. "Here," he handed one gun to a photographer and another gun to a less fearful looking model. "It's better this way. Blake you take the lead this time and I'll take the rear." In two short lines, the group made their way out of the room towards the staircase. Thankfully, they did not encounter any more soldiers and broke out onto the roof. The Chinook's blades kept rotating as it waited on the rooftop. Kairos and his charge stood guard as every person from their group boarded the chopper then hopped inside to make their escape.

"Where to, sir?" the pilot asked as Kairos plopped himself down onto the seat next to his.

"Get to the Lionheart organization," Kairos ordered as he put pressure on the bullet wound on his arm. "It's the safest place for these people and I need some medical attention before I go back out on the field."

Blake tapped her guardian on his shoulder. "I agree with you, but I believe I should be set down in this area before you head for the headquarters." She pointed at another building that seemed to be under attack. "I'll make myself useful and stem the flow of attacks in the nearby areas." She shook her head at the frown given to her by the older man. "I hate not being useful Kairos," she told her guardian. "If I help out, at least we could prevent any further unnecessary loss of life among our people and other civilians."

Kairos let out a defeated sigh. "Find some place to land so that Blake could get out," he ordered his agent. "As soon as you finish helping out, I want you to report back to headquarters immediately," he told his charge as the pilot lowered the chopper down to wide area of the road. "Still have enough ammo?" he asked, the chopper touching down.

Blake nodded and clasped the forearm of Kairos before jumping out of the chopper. She could have walked away, but was held back by a hand gripping her around her forearm. Turning around, Blake smiled as Shizuma leaned out of the door with a worried look on her face. "I'll be alright, Shizuma," she told her lover. "There are things I must attend to before I meet up with you and the rest at headquarters."

"Promise me that you'll come back alive," Shizuma told her lover, leaning down slightly. Their lips met each other in a heated kiss; the rise of the helicopter into the air breaking them apart. "Promise me, Blake!" Shizuma shouted as the chopper pulled further and further away from the ground.

Blake looked up at Shizuma's face, smiled and nodded her head. She continued to watch the skies until the helicopter disappeared from her view. Looking around her surroundings, she jogged down the road towards the sounds of gunshots. By the time she arrived at the scene, men both from the Lionheart organization and ShadowLabs were on the ground either dead or injured. Blake carefully picked her way through the fallen men, looking for any survivors among her comrades.

Suddenly, she heard anguished cries of pain from the other side of a building. Not bothering to arm herself, Blake sprinted around the building and skid to a halt just as three men fell back, blood spurting from their chests. Her storm gray eyes widened in shock when she recognized the man holding on to bloodied twin katanas. She stared into somber crimson eyes. "Leon?" she said incredulously.

"Hello… big sister." The crimson-eyed 54,601 greeted her and began to walk slowly towards her. "There are many things you and I need to talk about and settle," he told Blake with a sad smile on his face. "Many things indeed…"

* * *

_**Finally! I got another chapter up! Sorry, I know I promised that I would upload more frequently, but I've been in and out of town for the past few weeks. It's only been a few days earlier that I was able to formally start on this particular chapter. Anyway, as I mentioned in the previous chapter, there will only be two more regular chapter (one more after this) then the epilogue. I know that some of you wish it to continue, but I cannot grant that wish. I have other stories to attend to unfortunately not to mention the approaching start of a new school year for me. **_

_**It's quite early, but I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to read this story. I know that most Strawberry Panic fans would balk at seeing and reading a story that has nothing to do with Shizuma and Nagisa, but I'm glad to see that this story had grown to be appreciated by some readers. I'm aiming to finish this story by the end of next week… before school starts. I'll be quite busy again once I get back to school. I have to start focusing on my thesis paper and on-the-job training. Anyway, I just want to say that it's been an enjoyable experience for me and I hope it's been the same for you!**_

_**Vampknight364: That was very brief and concise of you. Hehe! :) **_

_**rAiNfAlL: Glad you liked it and I'm of course flattered that you've become addicted to it and that you check the site because of my story. As for a sequel… well… I'm not really sure right now. I'd have to think of new ideas and a new plot for a sequel. We'll see anyway. :) I don't take any offense for your not reviewing from the start. It's understandable that you were shy to do so. :)**_

_**Loorlover: Looks like I was the one who disappeared for quite some time! Hahaha! Sorry about that! Almost yelled out? Hehe… well I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**_

_**Tasha: Thanks! I just picked up my dean's list certificate a while back! Hehe… the sketch of Blake is almost done actually. I just haven't been able to check on my artist friend after commissioning her to make the sketch. I'll be sure to inform you somehow when I do put the sketch up. :)**_

_**Ecko-chan93: That's good to hear especially from a new reader! Hahaha! But as for "endless"… well, all things must come to an end eventually. :( Nevertheless, I'm glad you enjoyed the story!**_

_**Yenyankee: Cool huh? The compliments are starting to get to my head! Hahaha! Just joking! But yeah, I intended for that particular part to be funny so I'm glad you found it amusing.**_

_**RavenTheBirdSpirit: Now your compliment pretty much made my heart stop then start again! hahaha! That's the best compliment I've ever gotten so far. Writing novels and publishing them? Hmmm… I never really thought about that. I only regarded my writing as a pastime and never really took it seriously. Seriously, I'm not entirely sure if my writing is good enough to be published. Thanks for the compliment though! It still made me feel… errr… touched! :) Now as for editing my summary to include Blake x Shizuma, I seriously doubt I'd get over 100 reviews! Hahaha! **_

_**Next chapter: Final confrontation**_


	25. Final Confrontation

_**A word of warning to the readers,**_

_**This chapter is rated M for violence.**_

_Chapter 25: Confrontation_

"Big… sister?" Blake let out, more confused than shocked at the sudden appearance of the only other ShadowLabs experimental subject. The raven-haired woman reached into her jacket and gripped her holstered Beretta handgun. "What are you talking about, boy?" she demanded. She was being cautious, thinking that the younger man was tricking her.

The crimson-eyed and raven-haired man shook his head and let out a long sigh. "As I mentioned earlier, this is one of the things that you and I must talk about," Leon told the armed woman, lowering his twin katanas. The action was enough for Blake to let go of her gun and hear this young man out. "I never doubted that you were sensible, big sister," he said, approving of Blake's action.

Blake scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. "I have always been sensible," she replied, glaring coldly at her would-be enemy. "Although, I am rarely sensible when I'm handling anyone working for ShadowLabs," she added. "Quit with the big sister thing," she ordered in annoyance. "We're not that close for you to be calling me that."

"On the contrary," Leon interrupted. "I do have the right to call you that since we do share the same blood." He stood several feet away from the taller woman, eying her carefully and seriously.

A frown formed on Blake's face as her mind struggled to process what Leon had just proclaimed. "Did I hear you right?" she asked, containing her laughter. "Did I just hear you say that _we _share the same blood?" She let out a small chuckle. "You must be mistaken," she told the young man. "Or perhaps those bastard Redferns have played enough with you to boggle your mind." Her laughter died down and was replaced by an ominous look on her face. "Unfortunately Leon, I'm the only child of Alexander and Raine Skylar. The latter already clarified that she had birthed only one child."

Leon simply gave Blake a sad and knowing smile. "I do not reject the truth of your words, big sister," he began. "It is true that Alexander and Raine Skylar produced one child, who happened to be you." He reached up and slightly pulled the collar of his zipped up black jacket. "Even the most unexpected and righteous people have skeletons in their closets," he quoted. "In this case though, Alexander Skylar had no knowledge of the skeletons in his own closet."

Blake's jaw dropped as she goggled at the young man before her. "It can't be possible… how could father have…" The words were caught in her throat.

Leon shook his head and rested the palm of his hand against his forehead. "Many things are possible especially for the Redferns," he said quietly. "Your father had no knowledge of the other schemes being played by the Redferns. He never knew even upon his death that he had unknowingly sired another child."

* * *

The Lionheart organization's headquarters vastly resembled a circus now. There were people everywhere: civilians, agents, police and medical teams attending to the wounded. Destroyed cars, burning debris, charred roads and sidewalks and dead bodies littered the perimeter of the large building. Despite the disastrous look of things, the situation was steadily getting under control thanks to the combined efforts of the Lionheart Organization and the government.

Kairos sat patiently on the stairs in front of the entrance of the organization building as a member of the medical team attended to his wounded arm. "Patch it up as best as you can." He winced as the doctor extracted the bullet from within his arm. "I am needed back out on the field," he told the man as Jez looked down at him with a frown on her face.

"Just stay still and let the guy finish his work, Kairos!" Jez ordered her older brother, who grinned sheepishly at her. "A gunshot wound that isn't treated properly will just hinder you from doing your work properly," she lectured, waving at Shizuma who stood conversing with Miyuki and her group of friends from Astraea Hill. Kairos had ordered his agents assigned to the Blake's friends to collect their charges and bring them to the Lionheart organization for protection. "Besides, why rush going back out there? You just said that the situation is getting under control."

Kairos shook his head. "Yeah we're managing to contain the attacks of ShadowLabs, but I'm still needed to supervise searches and the eventual clean-up."

Jez was silent for a few seconds as she watched the doctor finish treating Kairos' wound and move on to his next patient. "I was always took it in half-heartedly whenever you'd remind me that Blake wasn't an ordinary person," she began, ignoring the raised eyebrows of her older brother. "Sometimes I even thought it was joke when you fully explained to me that Blake had been an experimental subject whose genetic code was tampered with." The fashion designer shook her head. "When Blake came down from the ceiling of the conference room and saved us, it was the only time I believed in your words." Her head tilted to the side as she stared down at her older brother who sat on the steps. "You really did train her, didn't you?"

The blonde-haired guardian sighed and nodded his head in confirmation. "I did train her, but I had help from other people. Blake is an exceptional being. Some would describe her as an efficient soldier," he explained to his sister. "There are some who go as far as to describe Blake as the ultimate weapon. It's true that she possesses several characteristics that entitle her to these nicknames, but Blake is still human despite of that. It took a few years to get her to act normally among other humans, but it all worked out." He glanced at the platinum-haired woman who was kneeling on the ground and conversing with a scared looking Ryu Fierro, who clung around his mother's leg. "Her transformation from an emotionless shell of a person to a living human being was really helped along when she studied on Astraea Hill for a year." He gently ran a hand on his bandaged arm. "I really owe a lot to that Shizuma for getting Blake to where she is now."

"Speaking of Blake," Jez interrupted. "Where is she now? It's been a while since we dropped her off and she should be reporting back here right about now." She looked around in an attempt to spot the raven-haired woman.

Kairos shrugged. "She's probably on her way back now. My agents just informed me that all the attacked areas are under control." He gingerly leaned back against the steps and stretched his legs out. "I'm exhausted," he let out tiredly. "I haven't handled a siege like this since I saved Blake from ShadowLabs ten years ago!"

"Sir!"

Kairos looked up and spotted one of his agents sprinting towards him. "What is it Brown?" he asked. "I'm sure that you and the others could handle it without me," he said wearily. "I've had enough of handling attacks for today."

"But sir!" The agent skid to halt in front of his superior. "We just got a report from one of our air-surveillance teams!" He panted, trying to catch his breath. "It's Saberhart!" he finally let out in a loud voice, which startled a certain platinum-haired woman into running to their group.

"What about Blake?!" Kairos demanded, pushing himself to his feet and grabbing hold of the collar of his agent's coat.

Shizuma stood there looking like she was about to faint. "What's wrong? Please tell me Blake is alright!" she said softly. Jez put an arm around the model's shoulders in an attempt to comfort her.

The agent brought out a portable viewing device and showed it to Kairos and the two women. "The surveillance team is currently monitoring Saberhart and they're sending us a live a feed," he pressed a button on the device and stepped back as the screen lit up. The airborne camera was zoomed out as it followed two figures moving quickly on the ground. "Saberhart looks to be in battle with someone," the agent observed. "It's been nearly ten minutes since it started."

Kairos, Shizuma and his sister all leaned forward to watch the ensuing scene before them. Just then, the two small figures on screen clashed together and the surveillance team's camera took the chance to zoom in to give them a better view of what was happening. Surely enough, two raven-haired persons, one with storm-gray eyes and one with crimson eyes heaved the blades of their swords against each other… fighting for dominance.

"Who the hell is Blake fighting with?" Kairos shouted, fearing for his charge's life.

Shizuma blinked several times, recognizing the opponent of her lover. "Kairos! That's the boy Blake was talking about! He's the other experimental subject of ShadowLabs!" she told Kairos in a panicked voice. "I don't know why they are fighting, but Leon was the reason why we were able to escape from the oil rig when Blake and I were imprisoned there."

"He's _that _boy?!" Kairos asked, shock registering on his face. "Damn it! It only means that Blake's life is in danger. Who knows what the Redferns have done to him!" Kairos grabbed his communications device and hurriedly barked an order. "Kahlil! As soon as you finish airlifting the civilians, I want you to head over to the area where we dropped Blake off on the Chinook helicopter!"

"_Roger that, sir!"_

Kairos hooked the walkie-talkie back on his belt and waved to two of his men. "Brown and the two of you," he pointed at the agent who had given his report on Blake and the two men who had just jogged towards him. "You come with me. We're taking the bulletproof cars to where Blake is at." He pointed at two black Lincoln cars in the parking lot.

"I'm coming too!" Shizuma exclaimed, stepping forward to follow Kairos and his three agents.

Kairos shook his head. "That isn't acceptable."

"I must go! I have to make sure Blake is alright!" Shizuma told the guardian. "Please allow me to come with you! I might be able to help both with Blake and Leon!" she pleaded.

The blonde-haired man opened his mouth to refuse, but let out a defeated sigh instead when he saw the look his younger sister threw at him. "Alright Shizuma," he told the younger woman. "You can come with us." He turned to look at two of his agents. "You two take the other car with Shizuma here and make sure you protect her. Brown," he called his remaining agent's name. "You're coming with me on the other car." Kairos turned to look at Jez. "Take care of things here while I'm out," he told his sister, stepping forward to hug her tightly.

"I'll do my best, brother," the fashion designer replied, stepping back and watching the group head to the parking lot.

* * *

"Father… sired another child?" Blake asked, her voice hoarse from disbelief. "How is it possible for him to sire another child when you yourself claim that he was unknowing of that fact?!" she demanded, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.

Leon chuckled in amusement. "You forget easily. Skylar worked in a scientific facility that specialized in genetic code manipulation. In order to specialize in such a task, they did not only need developed human specimens," he explained patiently. He returned the angry glare of the other woman with a subdued look. "They also needed the most basic forms of these human specimens."

"Reproductive cells…" Blake answered, things getting clearer in her head.

"Correct," Leon replied with a nod of his head. "You were an exception though. The Redferns had you stolen from the hospital nursery as an infant in order to manipulate Skylar. The other experimental subjects were produced artificially using donated reproductive cells from their staff and 

from outside centers. Most of the artificially created subjects only lived for as much as three years before they died."

"So how did you come about then?" Blake demanded, resting her shaking fingers on her forehead. "I do remember that there were other experimental subjects aside from me back when I was still in the facility, but you yourself mentioned that most of them died off due to unforeseen circumstances."

The raven-haired young man continued to regard Blake with his crimson eyes, loosening his grip on the two blades in his hands. "I didn't come along until eight years later from the time you were born. The Redferns had just recently killed Skylar for his insubordination and suddenly remembered that he had donated a sample of his semen for their so-called medical purpose," he continued his explanation. "It only came upon them that perhaps there was something in Skylar's DNA code that enabled you to withstand and survive ShadowLabs manipulation of your genetic code."

"They… used father's reproductive cells to produce… you?"

Leon nodded and gave Blake a grim smile. "It's strange that you used to claim that you were made through artificial means, but in fact it was the other way around." He took in a long breath. "The Redferns speculated right. There was indeed something extraordinary in Skylar's genetic code, which enabled their experimental subjects' genetic codes to be manipulated with ease. The end result was me, a specimen that was vastly similar to you."

Nothing would come out of Blake's parted lips as she traded stares with her brother. It made sense now… everything that he had just told her made sense. She knew that if she demanded for a blood test to check if they indeed shared the same blood, it would have come out positive. They looked alike except for certain features like eye-color and facial structure and physical build. Nevertheless, Leon was her brother… half brother to be more exact, but it did not matter because they shared the same father.

"Why are you fighting for them?" Blake asked in a soft voice. "They made your life miserable for you, right?" She looked up and gazed at her brother with certain ferocity in her eyes. "Why do you continue to fight for those bastards?! They killed our father and tortured the both of us!" she shouted at him, fists shaking violently in her anger.

Leon simply smiled at her in a sad way. "I had no choice, big sister," he replied, his shoulders drooping. "Just as you did not have a choice when you were still held prisoner in their facility. Even now, my life isn't mine to control." He pulled down the zipper of his jacket and bared his neck to his older sister. A thin metal device that blinked green was wrapped around the base of his neck. "They're controlling me through this device," he pointed at the metal collar. "Prior to this mission, Doctor Redfern had Hunter inject me with drugs that would induce pain through electrical shock. They could remotely trigger this collar to unleash an electrical surge through my body." He fixed his grip on his blades and twisted his wrists. "If I do not follow their orders…" he paused. "You know what will happen."

"Fight it then," Blake replied, her hand inching into her military jacket to grip her handgun. "I managed to survive that kind of torture years ago. If you are truly my brother, then you should be able to withstand it."

"It's not as simple as you think it is, big sister," Leon told the raven-haired woman. "We may share the same blood, but we_ are _still different from each other." He let out a long breath. "You were the fortunate one," he began. "You had people who cared for you… who gave you hope and the strength to fight back and continue living." The look in his once somber crimson eyes turned dark. "Where as I was raised in absolute loneliness," he added. "You were given the chance to become human." He pointed the tip of his katana sword towards Blake. "I on the other hand, am just an empty shell used as a weapon." He took a step forward, his emotions devoid in his eyes. "It only seems fair that we settle things this way," Leon shared, giving Blake a meaningless smile.

"Idiot!" Blake spat out. Her hand was already around her gun, but she could not bring herself to draw it. "It doesn't need to be this way! I could help you! The Lionheart Organization, my family and my friends can help you!" Blake took a step back as her half brother continued to amble towards her. "There is no reason for us to fight!"

Leon shook his head. "That's where you're wrong, big sister." His footsteps seemed to be in beat with the constant flickering of his metal collar. "There _are_ reasons for us to fight!" His crimson eyes blazed in anger. "I want vengeance," he said softly. "You were the reason I was created! I'm just a replacement and treated as such!" He bowed his head down, his hair concealing his eyes. "There could only be one…"

"One?" Blake asked, her knees instinctively bending in a ready stance.

The crimson-eyed 54,601 tilted his head back up slowly. "There could only be _one _ultimate weapon, big sister," he replied. "And I'm going to make sure that it will be me!" He pointed at Blake with one katana. "Discard your guns!" he shouted then threw one of his blades at Blake's feet, the katana burying itself a few inches into the ground. "I prefer to fight this way."

Blake stared at the sword for a few seconds before letting out a defeated sigh. "Both you and I don't have a choice then," she told her half brother. The raven-haired woman wrapped her hand around the hilt of the katana and jerked it out of the ground. She then reached into her jacket and began to place her two Beretta handguns, ammo clips and flash grenade onto the ground. She kept the combat knife in place, thinking of it as a precaution. Checking to see if everything was place, Blake then gripped the hilt of the loaned sword and held it in front of her chest.

They both stood still, each of them staring at the other in a calculating manner. A foul wind that brought about the scent of spilled blood and burning debris filled Blake's nose, almost making her cough in disgust. She remained focused though, her piercing gray eyes never leaving the being that stood before her. It happened in an instant. Suddenly, Blake stared face to face with the crimson-eyed man; his body a mere foot away from her. She raised the borrowed blade just in time to meet the ferocious slash from her brother, the impact so strong that she felt her head throb warningly. Blake felt her muscles scream as she shoved hard against their clashing blades, pushing her opponent away so that she had more space to launch an attack.

Instinctively, her right foot stepped to the right and her body shifted to follow. Blake watched carefully at her brother's eyes, hoping that he would take the bait. _There!_ The raven-haired woman thought as she spotted those crimson orbs shift. Immediately, Blake pushed off on her right foot and propelled herself in the opposite direction then charged forward, thrusting her blade out with deadly speed. She cursed silently when the Japanese sword merely cut through air. Leon was indeed a formidable opponent and perhaps even stronger than Blake herself. What made it even more difficult for her was the fact that she was up against a left-handed opponent. She was sure that Leon had fallen for her feint, but he had easily read her attack and sidestepped the sword thrust easily. Her rambling thoughts made her lose precious seconds of focus. Before she could do anything, a hard kick connected to the side of her head, which instantly split open to form a profusely bleeding cut. Blake staggered back from the kick, keeping her grip around the sword firm and blocking another strike.

"It's hard to believe that you are a product of ShadowLabs," Leon stated darkly as he looked at his recent work on Blake. His knees bent slightly as he held his sword in a familiar offensive stance. With his left foot, he took a step back, pulled back his left hand and pointed the blade at Blake with his right hand guiding the tip of the sword. "With the way you're fighting me back, you won't be alive for more than a few minutes." He lunged forward and sliced at the taller and older woman.

Blake grit her teeth as she blocked the continuous onslaught of her brother. Blood was dripping into her eye, making it hard for her to see clearly. Her wound was becoming a liability and she regretted losing her focus prior to getting the cut. Now, she struggled to land an attack on the seemingly more agile Leon, but was unsuccessful. Wincing as one attack got through her defenses and cut through her side, Blake swung her leg out at Leon's calves, knocking him onto his back. Not wasting her chance, Blake ignored the searing pain in her side and lunged forward to drive her sword down into her brother's fallen body. Her sword only embedded itself in hard concrete instead of supple flesh as the crimson-eyed 54,601 rolled away and jumped back on his feet.

"That was a close one." Leon smiled knowingly at her. "If I were an ordinary human, I would not have had the reflexes to get out of that situation." He got back into an offensive stance. "Fortunately, ShadowLabs was around." The smile disappeared from his face. "Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury to play around any longer. It's time for the two of us to say our goodbyes." With unnatural speed, he charged forward again to deliver his final attack. Their blades met once more in a clash of screeching metal and sparks. "One more thing before you breathe your last," Leon let out in a rush of air as he struggled to pin down his older sister. "This whole cataclysm," he began, narrowing his eyes. "If you thought that it was the fault of the Redferns and the rest of ShadowLabs, then you're wrong."

"What… are you… talking about?!" Blake mustered out, her feet skidding back from the strength behind her opponent's blow. She was quickly losing energy and she knew that she would not be able to last any longer if she continued to defend herself from Leon's relentless attacks.

Leon let out a bark of laughter, still pushing against their crossed blades. "Did it ever occur to you that ShadowLabs had been around for years before you were born?" he asked, staring into Blake's confused face. "The organization that supposedly saved you isn't what you think it is. They told you that ShadowLabs was a threat to humanity, didn't they? The Lionheart organization and ShadowLabs had been around for over a decade before you came into this world." A maniacal grin appeared on his face. "If they had truly been a threat to society, why didn't _your_ organization deal with ShadowLabs? They certainly had the manpower, weaponry and authority to bring them down."

"Did they have that kind of authority?" Blake asked, incredulous of the sudden information she was being given. "You're not making any sense!"

"You're quite dense," Leon pointed out. "The Lionheart Organization _knew_ of the activities ShadowLabs was doing. The whole genetic code manipulation to make the perfect human weapon," he reiterated. "They hid a lot of things from you dear sister and I'm quite sure your supposed foster brother and guardian knew about this."

"Shut up!" Blake said shakily, not wanting to believe what was being said to her. It was finally starting to dawn upon her. "All of these… endangering innocent people… kidnappings… terrorist attacks," she enumerated. "It's… all because of..." She became very pale.

Leon's grin grew wider. "That's right," he replied. "The Lionheart Organization _chose _not to halt the activities of ShadowLabs because of the great opportunity that awaited them." The muscles in his arms bulged as he poured more power into immobilizing the raven-haired woman before him. "They waited for the perfect human weapon to be born… waited for her to grow up before they saved her or should I say _stole _her. They altered her way of thinking and made her think that they saved her from a tortuous life, but they had a hidden motive. Whoever had the so-called perfect weapon would be feared and be given absolute power." Leon let out a roar and kicked Blake away. "Do you understand now?" he asked, watching the raven-haired woman breathe heavily as her shoulders shook. "All of these things," he gestured at the destruction around them. "It's happening because of _you…_ because of your existence."

Blake lifted her unused hand and held it against her face. "My… fault?" she whispered.

"We are merely pawns in this game the Lionheart Organization has played out for us. They simply saw that you were that particular pawn that would lead them to a utopia they strived for," Leon continued, twirling his sword around. "You were blinded by their pretty words of transforming society and preserving human life. Even the righteous can be evil." The crimson-eyed man spat on the ground. "But you know what? I am most sickened at the fact that you have become such an important icon, yet you reject it." The once angelic look on his face that Blake had come to know as her savior from the oil 

rig had become a deranged crimson-eyed demon. "Here I am, an almost complete copy of you, but I go unnoticed…" He shook his head and charged forward once more. "I willingly submitted to all the experiments to become as strong… No! To become stronger than you, but I am treated like a mere speck of dust. _I will not live in your shadow any longer!"_

"Stop this Leon!" Blake shouted, evading the frenzied attack.

"Damn it! I hated you!" Leon yelled as he chased after Blake. "You were the perfect one and you got all the attention from the scientists! Even though you openly defied the people of ShadowLabs, they continued to call you perfect one!" His attacks were starting to become less accurate and more careless. "I was just… an inadequate substitute despite my willingness to be experimented on!" He had Blake trapped against the wall of a nearby building. "No more!" He leaped forward and stabbed through the thick concrete, missing his sister by a few centimeters. "This time, I'll make sure that there aren't any more hindrances to my ascent!" He yanked his sword out of the building and turned around to regard Blake. "I'll start with you then I'll kill every single person who's important with you! Your pretty girl-toy will be the last and I'll be sure to make her suffer just as much as I did!"

"_Shut up!"_ Blake roared, her hand snapping forward and throwing a sharp projectile at her brother. The combat knife that she had hidden in her jacket had proven itself to be useful since it embedded itself halfway into Leon's shoulder. Unknowingly, her eyes had begun to blaze an eerie silver color just like the time she had lost control of herself on the abandoned oil rig.

It could not be helped anymore. Leon had succeeded in triggering that monstrous state of hers. The situation had completely turned around now. The second son of Alex Skylar was now the one who struggled to defend himself from his livid older sister. His hands were starting to become numb as each blow he sloppily blocked jarred his whole body from the sheer power displayed by the gray-eyed woman. At one point of their battle, Leon found a split-second opening in his sister's defenses. He brought his sword up in the air and tried to slice downward only to feel a strong hand wrap around his wrist, hindering the movement of his blade. He kicked out quickly, thanking the gods that Blake had jumped away in evasion. Changing his grip on his blade one last time, Leon ran forward to deliver the fatal blow that would end his opponent's life. As he violently unleashed a downward slash through empty air, he had barely enough time to turn his head and see the silver-eyed Blake quickly step around his body and deliver an attack at his unguarded back.

Leon fell to his knees with a cry as metal bit into his flesh painfully and cut deeply from his shoulder to his hip. On the ground and losing blood quickly, he labored to drag his battered body away from his advancing sister. So it was finally his time to die, but he had never wished that it would be by his only sister's hands. He fell over onto his chest, exhausted from his efforts and weakened by the loss of blood. Leon rolled over to look up at the ominous-looking Blake, his blood pooling beneath him on the ground.

"Time for you to die, dear brother," Blake said with a maniacal grin on her face as she raised the borrowed sword up to deliver the finishing blow.

"_NO BLAKE! DON'T DO IT!"_ A familiar man's voice cut through the air just as another explosion occurred several feet away and knocked Blake away.

An unseen scowl formed on the raven-haired woman's face as she regained her balance after the explosion. "Where are you brother?!" she shouted, as billowing winds from above dispersed the black smoke produced by the recent explosion. Something hit her foot as she tried to walk out of the smoke. Blake realized that it was her discarded Beretta guns, ammo clips and the flash grenade. As she bent down to collect them once more, she realized that the billowing winds above were coming from a familiar black Chinook helicopter and a fleeing smaller helicopter. Her eyes focused on the fleeing aircraft, seeing that there was a soldier holding another rocket launcher in his hands and that it was headed east towards the ocean. At that moment, she knew where she had to go next.

The smoke had finally cleared as the Chinook helicopter landed a few feet away from Blake's wounded form. Several yards away, a familiar blonde-haired man flanked by three suited men and a platinum-haired woman ran towards them. It was the blonde who spoke first despite still being several yards away. "Blake! Are you alright?!" he shouted, looking to his side at Shizuma who tried to keep up with his fast paced gait. "Come on! We have to get you treated before you lose anymore blood-" he yelped and grabbed onto Shizuma as bullets riddled the ground before him. "What the hell?! Blake?!" He stared at his charge who pointed one of her Beretta guns at them and the other at the pilot who had just jumped out of the Chinook.

"Don't come any closer," Blake said coldly, her eyes still gleaming silver. She looked at the pilot and motioned with the pointed muzzle of her gun for him to get back in the Chinook. "Get back in. I need to go somewhere," she told him, ignoring the gulp of the suited man. "And believe me, if you try to fly off without me," she warned. "I am skilled enough to shoot down that helicopter just with these guns." She stared hard at the suddenly sweating man. "Understand?" As the pilot scrambled back into the helicopter, Blake discharged a few more rounds at the ground before Kairos, Shizuma and his men. They had tried to come closer. "I _said_ stay there!" Blake growled, still pointing the smoking muzzles of her guns at them.

Kairos tried to plead with his charge. "Blake! What has gotten into to you?" he demanded. "This isn't like you at all! Holster your guns and let's talk this over in a calm manner," he tried to reason with her as Shizuma gripped his forearm quite hard.

The raven-haired woman shook her head. "There is no use trying to talk this over in a calm manner," she replied, narrowing her eyes at her guardian. "My trust… my trust in the organization and in you…" she paused, looking up at the sky and began to laugh bitterly. "I have lost it," she let out. "I finally know the truth!"

"What?!" Kairos shouted.

"After all these years," Blake stated, taking a step back towards the helicopter. "You and that be-damned organization made me believe that I could still be an ordinary human!" She shook her head and continued to laugh bitterly. "How could I have been so naïve? A weapon could never become human. A weapon like me is only a means to destruction."

Shizuma stepped forward, pulling her arm out of reach from Kairos who tried to hold her back. "Blake please! Don't let it get to you!" She let out a cry of pain as small and sharp pieces of concrete were blasted out from the ground as more bullets were fired at them, gouging Shizuma's alabaster skin.

"Your selfish motives led to this," Blake told them, turning on her heel and facing the black Chinook. She walked forward and stepped inside the aircraft, which immediately began to rise up into the air.

"Where are you going Blake?!" Kairos shouted as he ran forward, knowing that he wouldn't make it to the helicopter in time. "Don't be foolish! It's true that I knew the organization had hidden motives when they rescued you from ShadowLabs, but you shouldn't think that you are the cause of all of this!" He continued to shout up at his charge as the Chinook hovered above them. "Don't do this alone!" He looked up pleadingly at his charge who looked down at them from the helicopter's open doors.

Blake was silent for a few moments as she stared down first at her long time guardian and friend and at the tearing face of her lover. Her heart wrenched painfully. "There… are things that I must settle… alone," she told them. She turned her back to them. "Don't interfere," she ordered before the helicopter rose into the skies and headed east.

"We have to follow her!" Shizuma cried out to Kairos when she finally reached him. "Call another helicopter! Anything as long as we can follow her! She'll die if she goes on her own!" She scrabbled at Kairos' sleeve. "Kairos please! You must listen to me! You must find out where she's planning to go!"

The blonde-haired man looked grim as he pried Shizuma's fingers off his arm. "If he's after Leon, then there's only one other place he could be going to and I'm sure the Redferns are there waiting."

"Where?"

"The abandoned oil rig where you and Blake were imprisoned at."

* * *

_Meanwhile back at the Lionheart Organization headquarters…_

"Is it confirmed?"

A man in full military gear nodded. "Our spies have confirmed that more experimental subjects are in development in that oil rig off the coast. Professor Redfern and his son also seem to be present."

"And the experimental subject called 54,601?"

"He was last seen battling with Blake Saberhart," came the curt reply.

"What are their current coordinates?"

"Our most recent reports state that the battle was ended care of a missile launched from a small aircraft. Witnesses say that a bleeding 54,601 boarded the aircraft and headed east possibly towards the oil rig."

"And Saberhart?" It was a woman's voice who queried the military man.

"Prior to boarding the stolen Chinook that had ambushed her at the Aurora Fields Horse Club, she seemed to have a confrontation of sorts with Blackthorn and the woman called Shizuma. Afterwards, she headed alone on the Chinook to chase after the aircraft 54,601 escaped in."

A rough sigh escaped the woman's lips. "It has to come to this then," she finally said. "Execute the _Luminaire _strategy then."

"Are you sure, ma'am?"

"Yes General."

"We will begin execution of the _Luminaire _strategy in exactly ten minutes… President McQueen."

* * *

Blake held the pilot at gunpoint as the helicopter sliced through the air. The smaller helicopter was a few kilometers ahead of them and Blake could already tell that its destination was the abandoned oil rig off the coast. They were already flying over the ocean and would arrive at the floating platform in two minutes given the speed they were travelling in. Blake chose to stare forward and ignore the pilot's frequent worried glances at her. He probably knew that it was a great risk for Blake to go solo to such a dangerous place. The still silver-eyed woman pointed at the elevated platform of the oil rig and motioned the pilot to bring the helicopter down. Blake could already see that the other helicopter had already landed and that her brother was limping across the wide and open expanse towards the large metal doors leading inside.

"Don't land. Just bring me close enough so that I could jump," Blake ordered and watched as the pilot did as she told him to. She walked to the door and looked outside, waiting for the chopper to get close enough to the platform. Once they were less than ten feet away, Blake jumped out and landed on the metal platform with her knees slightly bent. She looked up at the sky and shouted at the pilot, "Get going!" The chopper circled above a few times before finally flying back towards land.

Blake looked away from the skies and strode down the platform. Her younger brother was now desperately trying to reach the hold's doors as he dragged his fallen body across the floor, leaving a trail of blood behind him. She quickly brought out her gun and fired a few round at the ground before him, which effectively made him stop.

The wounded Leon rolled onto his back and pushed himself up using his arms. "So you followed after all, big sister," he said bitterly. "Are you that intent to kill me?" he asked, coughing out blood. "Perhaps you have seen the error of your ways and are planning to rejoin ShadowLabs and take revenge on the organization that used you." He stared up at Blake. "I could help you if you want. I would be glad to help you take revenge."

"Revenge?"

Leon nodded. "We could have everything that we want afterwards. ShadowLabs may be able to control me using this collar," he gingerly touched the metal collar around his neck. "But they won't be able to control you. With your power and mine, we could overtake leadership from the Redferns and do as we wish! Wouldn't that be great, big sister?" he asked.

Blake remained silent as the ocean breeze whipped through her hair and clothes. "May I ask you a few things, brother?"

"What is it?"

'Did you honestly believe that you lived in my shadow? The shadow of the supposed perfect human weapon developed by ShadowLabs?"

Leon thought about it for a while before nodding his head. "Only recently," he replied.

"And if I had died by your hand moments ago and if you had taken my place as the perfect human weapon, would you have been satisfied to have the Redferns run your life?" Blake asked.

Leon frowned. "With my power, I wouldn't be able to overthrow the Redferns. In that case, I wouldn't be satisfied," he admitted.

Blake stared down at her brother. "Then why offer me to rejoin ShadowLabs, overthrow the Redferns and live as wanted criminals?" she questioned her brother's thinking. "It could be the other way around, Leon." Her eyes slowly reverted to her normal storm gray orbs.

The young man blinked at the startling offer. "What do you mean?"

"I do not wish to take your life, Leon," Blake admitted. "With father dead, I only have you and my mother as my remaining family. Despite the fact that I barely know you, I have the inner instinct of protecting you. Why should we rejoin ShadowLabs when we could permanently put a stop to their criminal activities?" She smiled warmly at her brother. "You could become a part of our family afterwards. My biological mother would become your mother too and you'd have a foster brother and sister." She was referring to Kairos and Jez. "We could leave our pasts behind and start anew. You would never live in my shadow or in the shadow of any other person. You could live the way you want to, Leon," she told him. "And as your older sister, I'll make sure that such a future is made available for you." She held out her hand to him. "I'll take care of you this time, brother," she continued. "I'm sure that Shizuma will also be willing to help you too."

"You… and Shizuma?"

Blake nodded, taking a step forward and still holding out her hand to him. "Let me help you, brother. Forget everything that the Redferns have told you and let's start all over again."

"Blake…" Leon's hand inched upward as if to grab hold of Blake's hand. Suddenly his vision went black as indescribable pain coursed through his body. Leon writhed in immense pain on the ground, his body almost contorting as an electrical surge pulsed from the metal collar around his neck.

"Leon!" Blake shouted. As she made a move to go to her brother's side, she felt three bullets hit and sink hotly through her back. She doubled over from the searing pain then sluggishly straightened to see who had shot at her. "Hunter," she growled, blood seeping out of her mouth before she fell face first onto the brutally hard metal ground in an unconscious state.

Hunter Redfern walked forward with his favorite sniper rifle resting against his shoulder. He still wore a leather racing suit and a pair of dark shades, but it was easy to see that the apparatus wasn't enough to cover his scarred face and shattered cheek bone. He had gotten those injuries after making 

Blake lose control of herself on that same oil rig. Now he walked past Blake's motionless body and stood before Leon who was still experiencing various electrical pulses surge through his body.

"Did you really think I would allow you to join your sister?" Hunter laughed as he brought out a remote control and pressed a button. The metal collar around Leon's neck stopped functioning giving the young man some respite from pain. "Don't be foolish 54,601? You are easily swayed by your sister's words," he nudged Leon's face with his booted foot. "Even if everything she said did happen, you can't be sure that the Lionheart organization and even the government wouldn't meddle. No matter what, you and Saberhart are still weapons to reckon with. Get up!" he nudged more forcefully at Leon's face.

Leon did as he was told and rolled to his hand and knees, breathing hard as he did so. Gritting his teeth tightly, he slowly staggered back to his feet and faced the leering Hunter Redfern. "What is it that you wish me to do?" he asked, heaviness filling his heart as he stared at his sister's motionless body.

"If you do as I say, ShadowLabs will eventually gain power and you will be allowed do as you please," Hunter started, pushing his shades up the bridge of his shattered nose. "All you need to do for me," he pointed his rifle at Blake's fallen form. "Is to kill your sister," he continued.

"No," Leon refused. "I won't do it! She's defenseless now and you could kill her yourself! I refuse to do as you wish!" He turned away and began to shuffle across the floor.

Hunter let out a sigh. "Don't make things more difficult, 54,601," he said, bringing out the remote control and turning a knob. "I won't be denied especially by the likes of you."

"I don't care…" Leon grunted. He had no wish to partake in the murder of his sister. He knew that even if he tried, he wouldn't be able to save her… not with the metal collar still around his neck and with Hunter standing there with his sniper rifle that he could fire proficiently from both short and long range.

"Suit yourself. You'll change your mind…" Hunter replied with a grin, pushing the button on his remote control. "After you have go through some pain treatment." He laughed as Leon's body convulsed violently from the electrical shocks being transferred from the metal collar around the young man's throat. He kept it on for a good thirty seconds before turning it off. "Have you changed your mind?" he asked sweetly as Leon struggled to stay on his feet. "If you don't go over there now and kill your sister, I won't hesitate to let you experience the full range of this shock treatment," he threatened.

Once again, Leon was left with no choice. His whole body buzzed as he turned around and limped towards his sister's bleeding body. Was this how he was meant to live the rest of his life? A pawn used by the Redferns? He finally reached Blake's motionless body. Leon bent down and reached for the Beretta gun that had fallen to the ground after Hunter had shot at Blake. His hand shaking, he pointed the automatic gun at Blake's head and prepared to pull the trigger.

"That's it, 54,601," Hunter commented from his position. "I always knew that you'd be a good underling." He started to laugh loudly just as he felt his body jerk backwards. "What the… hell?!" he sputtered as he choked out blood. The younger Redfern looked down at his chest and realized that he had been shot at. "Why you little bastard!" he shouted, getting to his feet to try to get to Leon. Before he could get any closer, Leon shot more bullets into Hunter's body only stopping when the copper-haired man fell to the ground.

Leon slowly put down the Beretta gun to his side. "It's… over," he said softly, falling to his knees in front of his sister's body. He quickly checked and confirmed that Blake was alive before resting his head in his hands. He was absolutely exhausted and would have willingly allowed himself to die just to be rid of the pain, but he had get Blake out somehow. Billowing winds engulfed his body suddenly, making him look up at the skies. The black Chinook helicopter had come back, but this time its passengers were Kairos, his agents and Shizuma. They all stood by the doors trying to shout at them from above. "What?" He squinted up at them, trying to make out what they were saying then realized that they were pointing at something behind him.

Miraculously, Hunter wasn't dead. He had managed to get to the smaller helicopter Leon had used to escape in and was now holding the rocket launcher. A frenzied look was on his shades-less face as he aimed the rocket launcher at a supposedly unused oil tank. "If I die, I'm taking the both of you down with me!" he shouted then launched the rather large missile at the tank. Supposedly empty and unused after being abandoned, the large oil tank would have just splintered from the missile's impact, but they did not account the illegal activities of ShadowLabs that needed oil. Metal did splinter apart, but along with another explosion of flaming liquid. The abandoned oil rig was now billowing smoke stack in the ocean as flames encircled its elevated platform.

Leon hacked as smoke filled his lungs. He did not have the strength to stay up any longer so he allowed his body to drop to the ground just a few feet away from the unmoving form of Blake. He reached out towards her, hoping… and knowing that he'd still be together with his sister no matter what.

On the Chinook helicopter, Kairos and Shizuma held on tightly as the impact of the missile's shockwave rocked their aircraft and pushed them further away. "Shit!" Kairos cursed after pulling himself back to the open doors. "The whole platform is in flames, but it looks like we could manage to go in there and pull Blake and Leon out. Redfern looks dead," he informed everyone onboard. "Stay there," he ordered Shizuma before heading to the cockpit to let the pilot know his plan. "Kahlil," he started after entering the cockpit. He froze as he heard the familiar voice of the president of the Lionheart organization over the Chinook's radio system.

"_You have your orders Kahlil,"_ McQueen's voice sounded from the transmitter. _"Take the Chinook out of that area immediately."_

Kairos strode forward and grabbed the transmitter. "We'll do that as soon as we airlift Blake and Leon out of there." He turned to the pilot and motioned for him to fly over the flaming platform. "What the hell are you waiting for?" he demanded when the pilot stalled. "Hurry up or else they'll burn alive!" His eyes widened when he felt the chopper pull away from the burning oil rig. "What are you doing?!" He tried to grab the joystick of the chopper to lead them back, but couldn't when he heard the familiar click of guns being pointed at him. He turned around and saw his two of his agents pointing their guns at him while the other immobilized Shizuma.

"Kairos, what's happening?" The platinum-haired woman asked, worry and fear evident in her eyes. "Why are we moving away from the oil rig?" She was shaking now as the agent who stood over her gazed at her with remorse.

"_This is for everyone's good… Blackthorn,"_ McQueen's voice sounded again over the radio. _"We may have seen Blake and her brother as weapons that would give us more authority and power, but with the power that they themselves had exuded…"_ There was a long pause. _"I'm afraid just having one of them alive would be endangering society too much. Hence, the Luminaire strategy has been implemented. It'll be over in twenty seconds. Bring them home, Kahlil."_

Kairos suddenly unleashed a punch at the pilot, which made the helicopter sway uncontrollably for a few seconds. "You bastards!" he cursed, his two agents coming on to him and pinning him down onto the floor of the helicopter. "McQueen!" he shouted. "Call it off now!"

"Kairos?!" Shizuma cried out. "What's going on? Please tell me Blake will be ok!" she huddled against the chopper's walls, unable to move due to the gun being pointed at her.

The blonde-haired guardian did not seem to hear the pleas of Shizuma as he continued to shout at the transmitter while being held down. "Why does it have to be this way?" he demanded, struggling against his agents. "Please McQueen!" He sounded desperate and it hurt his agents to see him in this state. They did not like the fact that they were being forced to disobey their leader.

"_We have no choice, Blackthorn."_ The president cut off the line just as two audible blasts were heard from afar.

Shizuma was still close to the open door so she looked outside to see where those two blasts could have come from. Once she spotted the vague outline of two ballistic missiles speeding through the air, everything seemed to move in slow motion.

As the Chinook flew towards the land, the two missiles screamed through the air towards the already burning oil rig.

"Call off the attack!" Kairos shouted repeatedly, tears finally overflowing from his emerald green eyes. "Call the fucking attack off!"

And then… the horizon flashed a brilliant white before giving way to a deafening boom. The burning oil rig was now reduced to scraps of metal and other debris floating in the ocean while portions of oil on the surface of the water continued to burn.

"Damn you… I'll never… never forgive you!" Kairos blubbered, fists hitting the floor after his agents had let go of him. "Damn you!"

Shizuma stared wide-eyed at the wreckage before her. Black smoke billowed high in the sky as the flaming debris floated in the ocean below. She thought she heard screaming and realized it was her own voice that was producing the mournful sound. She felt the same way as the blonde-haired guardian who had already broken down. She would not be able to forgive the people who had ordered Blake and Leon's death sentence. Hot tears streamed down her face as she continued to scream out in pain and anger. The flames, smoke and floating debris would forever be a scene that would haunt her for the rest of her life.

* * *

_**At last! This chapter is done! To those who saw the note I posted earlier, I made my decision. It won't be the epilogue directly after this chapter. There'll be one more extra chapter then the epilogue. Don't jump to conclusions though. Just wait for the last chapter and the epilogue which I'll have up in two days. **_

_**Alaeri: Sorry about not writing to you in the last chapter. Hehe… I actually don't know why I didn't include you there. Now about Darkmoon and the other horses, I just forgot to say that they ran off after the explosion. If Blake was able to survive, then Darkmoon would of course survive. Hehe… **_

_**Vampknight364: thanks again for the compliment! :)**_

_**RavenTheBirdSpirit: Ahhh… now I get what you meant. Well, yeah. If my summary said Shizuma X Nagisa, I'd get more reviews. The bias is there of course so it's a bit unfortunate in that way. I don't really mind though. :)**_

_**NinjaM: Well, you'll just have to see how the ending will be. Give me a few more days to finish. **_

_**Next chapter: Moving on…**_


	26. Moving On

_Chapter 26: Moving On_

* * *

_Two years after the ShadowLabs incident…_

* * *

The city was back to normal just as it should be for every single day before ShadowLabs wreaked havoc. The incident from two years ago was all but forgotten among the people. The inevitable loss of lives and the destruction of their surroundings had left its mark on them. There were some who the heaviest hearts since the oilrig off the coast was destroyed, particularly a colder and older Kairos Blackthorn.

Two years had certainly done a lot for the Lionheart Organization agent's appearance alone, but the inner turmoil inside of him was a different story. He could still remember that day clearly. Anger, pain and betrayal mixed in a deadly concoction when the recently unemployed guardian got out of the Chinook helicopter when it landed in front of his organization's headquarters. Despite what he felt, Kairos could not find it in himself to march up to the president's quarters and deliver his murderous intentions. He was too distraught with the loss of his charge's life. With his feet solidly planted on the ground, Kairos looked up at skyline as the tears he though had stopped continued to stream down his weary face. He bit down hard on his lower lip, trying his hardest to contain his sobs.

"Kairos?" Jez approached her older brother, obviously very worried about him. "What has happened?" She embraced the older man and held him as his shoulder shook. The fashion designer had a bad feeling about this. Kairos had never cried.

In a rare moment of weakness, Kairos buried his face into the shorter designer's shoulder. "She's-" he choked out, trying to tell them the news. He let in shaky breath as he wrapped his arms around his sister's body. He could hear other people approaching them to hear the news.

Miyuki walked over to them with Ryu in her arms. "Is there something wrong?" she asked, surprised at how the often-composed guardian was breaking down before them. The blue-haired mother was flanked by Amane, Shion, Chikaru, Kaname and Momomi. Ash and her younger sister Dom were close by with the rest of the Aurora Fields Horse Club.

"Where is _she_?" Amane finally asked after gathering enough courage. The others were tight-lipped and could not bring themselves to ask the question. Somehow, they knew that whatever Kairos was going to say to them would be bad news.

Kairos pulled away from Jez's embrace to relay the news. "The blast… we…" He covered his quivering lips with his mouth. "We couldn't… save them," he said in a soft voice, bowing his head down. The blonde-haired guardian remembered every single detail when he had given his announcement that Blake and Leon had died in the blast. All those familiar faces… the friends and family of Blake… shock was registered on their faces. It was only Ryu Fierro who reacted differently. Like most children his age, he expressed his sadness through crying.

Amane had sat down heavily on the steps leading up to the organization's main entrance, hiding her face from everyone's view. Kaname was speechless and continued her silence as Momomi cried silently into her chest. The blonde-haired Shion was covering her over bright eyes with a slightly shaking hand while Chikaru stood there, tears streaming down her face. As for Miyuki, after she had deposited her son in her husband's waiting arms, the former student council president from Saint Miator academy approached a silent Shizuma who sat on the ground just a few feet away from the helicopter.

It had hurt Kairos to see Shizuma in that state. On the helicopter, she had been wailing and crying her heart out. Now on the ground, she had become withdrawn. The tears that had once graced Shizuma's face were now gone. Kairos could not bear to watch as Miyuki dropped down to her knees and enveloped her best friend in a fierce hug. The blonde-haired guardian knew that it would be him and the platinum-haired woman who would take the longest time to move on. At that time, he had no intention of moving on. The only thing on his mind was getting revenge on the Lionheart organization.

And so, that is exactly what Kairos did. Exactly three days after the ShadowLabs incident, he marched up to the office of President McQueen and expressed himself quite articulately, much to the dismay of the security on shift. After cursing McQueen and the organization to hell and back, Kairos threw down his resignation letter and stalked out, claiming that he would bring their crime to court.

With the help of Miyuki's husband, Kairos was able to get the best lawyers who supported their cause and he was able to submit the case to court. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. Kairos had forgotten the fact the Lionheart Organization was by itself an individual government that was not influenced by the state government. The case was immediately dismissed due to lack of solid evidence and was considered a dead case. In reality, the Lionheart organization had used their vast authority to influence the courts to side with them, which left Kairos and the rest of their friends defeated. Kairos could do nothing and slowly accepted defeat. He did nothing but sulk and get drunk for the next year, letting his hair grow wild as he kept to himself in his room. Jez was the one who finally snapped Kairos out of his foolishness. She had yelled at him that Blake would be disappointed at him with the way he's been treating himself.

With some more yelling and a few good punches from Jez, Kairos was able to get back to his usual self. In order to commemorate the one-year anniversary of his charge's death and his reformation, Kairos had his head completely shaved bald. He also took it upon himself to be employed, deciding to put up and run his own Security Academy and Agency. Using his remaining funds that he collected during his stay in the Lionheart Organization, some loaned money from his sister and some business advice from Miyuki's husband, Kairos was able to put up a great facility to train and provide services to those people who needed security. Things continued to go his way when four of the agents he had trained from the organization appeared on his doorstep. These agents were with him on the Chinook helicopter. They explained that they had passed in their resignation letters and decided to aid Kairos with his brand new business. Kairos was of course reluctant to accept his former men, but soon saw that they were sorry for what they had done the year before. He needed to start anew anyway and he needed instructors to help him handle the potential trainees who had poured into his academy. To this day, Kairos' Security Academy and Agency is one of the most successful and produces the best bodyguards, agents, SWAT team members and many others.

Jez Leix, the once unknown fashion designer had become a household name in the span of a year. The red-streaked blonde continued on with her work despite the hard times that she and the rest of her family and friends had gone through the past year. In one particular party that Jez attended, she was introduced to a famous movie producer and director who was in the process of making a new blockbuster movie. The director heard of Jez's unique line of clothing and was greatly interested in her work. She informed Jez that she would be greatly honored if she would accept the positions of fashion consultant and costume department head of the team. In that instant, Jez had just nabbed herself an opportunity that would bring her to new peaks. The commission she got from working on the set with famous celebrities eventually enabled her to open her own store. Of course, Jez chose to name the brand of her line of clothing after herself. The modest looking space had a large sign with stylized silver letters that read "LEIX".

Jez was still going strong with Ash who officially became LEIX's model and spokesperson. She and Jez would often appear together in parties, conferences and the front covers of various magazines. They were often a hot topic especially since they had confessed their relationship to the public. The fashion designer took it all in a stride, ignoring the rude comments made by some people. She simply told her older brother during one visit to his academy that a person could not please everyone. Jez still shared the same apartment with her older brother, but spent most of her days in a new apartment that she purchased a block away from her store. At present, she's currently supervising the costume department of a brand new Broadway musical that is foreseen to be a smash hit.

Amane Ohtori was still a star equestrian from the Aurora Fields Horse Club. In the recent International Equestrian Tournament, she was selected to represent and lead the equestrian team of Japan. The former student from Spica made a trip back to Japan in order to recruit members for their team. On the trip back to the United States of the America, she had brought along her long time lover, Hikari. She had expressed her desire for her young lover to live with her since she had already graduated from college with a degree in music. Japan placed fifth out of the fifteen countries that participated in the tournament, but Amane was still named the most promising Equestrian from among the dozens of riders present.

Having lived in the club's dormitories for a few years already, Amane finally decided to purchase a flat of her own so that she and Hikari could have their privacy. She had a house built a few kilometers down the road from the club. Without any upcoming tournaments, Amane suggested to Vittoria Hughes that they should open themselves and offer horseback-riding lessons. She had heard that there were students from the Wayland's School for Young Men and Women who were interested in learning the sport. The suggestion was soon implemented and Amane and her other friends from the club all became instructors to the variety of people who came to the estates to learn how to ride horses. Amane had also brought Hikari to the Wayland's School so that she could apply for a position. Thanks to the help of Kaname who recommended Hikari, Amane's lover landed a position as a music instructor at the school. At present, the couple plan to grow their own garden that would rival the Etoile's greenhouse back on Astraea Hill.

Shion Tomori was having the time of her life as the owner of Raine Skylar's previous clinic. The past year had seen an increase in population in the rural area where her clinic was situated. The summer season had brought in so many tourists that it was inevitable to have people suffering from cases of heat stroke, jellyfish stings and other beach-related accidents be brought to her clinic. Due to the summer season and the increased population, Shion decided to renovate the clinic so that it could accommodate more people and house more equipment. From the modest one doctor, one intern and one nurse team, Shion had turned the small clinic into a bustling five doctor and ten nurse team. Shion had originally planned to ask Raine Skylar to join them as the director of their small hospital, but she decided against it. The retired doctor was still going through hard times after finding out that her only daughter had passed away. Shion was doing the widow a favor of some sort. Raine Skylar used to attend to beach visitors who needed medical attention, but after the death of her daughter, she no longer gave her services. Today, Shion still oversees the activities of the small hospital and plans to create an extended wing to accommodate more patients.

Chikaru Minamoto was a jack-of-all-trades, as many would describe her at present. She did all sorts of jobs that some people would question why the dark chocolate-haired woman chose these jobs. On some days, you would see Chikaru hosting events from kiddy parties to big charity concerts. Other days, you would see the cheery young woman in a stylish waitress outfit in a fine-dining restaurant. On some occasions, she would be doing part-time work as a model for a variety of brands. There were several occasions when she would also do some work for Jez Leix either as a fellow fashion designer or as a model. Among their group of friends, Chikaru reverted easily to her original persona. Everyone simply guessed that Chikaru was never the type of person to sulk for lengthened periods. She had moved on, but her friends knew that she carried the burden silently within her. Recently, she was last seen taking on being an instructor for acting and theater arts.

Kaname Kenjou and Momomi Kiyashiki had gone back to their lives as teachers in the Wayland's School for Young Men and Women. The two lovers had their share of mourning for their dear friend. They were forced to get back to reality in less than a month though. The school needed a new Athletic Department head so they had immediately promoted Kaname to the position. Despite the added work, Kaname chose to continue teaching physical education classes and took on coaching the tennis varsity team of the school. The club flourished and she soon needed help with the growing numbers of the club and team. Thinking that it was most logical choice, Kaname asked her former schoolmate and rival to do part time as an assistant coach for the tennis club and team. She was fortunate that Amane agreed easily… not to mention she had Hikari to thank. Amane had agreed to do part time easily because her lover was teaching in the school. Momomi on the other hand was also a teacher for the school. She taught the foreign language elective of Japanese and also taught Asian History. She was one of the most popular teachers among the faculty because of her youth, beauty and charm. Students looked up to Kaname and Momomi and often teased the two of them for being "too close" to each other. At present, Kaname was looking forward to the upcoming tennis regional tournament while Momomi was already planning the curriculum of the exchange student program of the school. Their destination for the next school year was Japan.

Miyuki Fierro formerly known as Miyuki Rokojou was expecting her second child. The blue-haired woman was a wonderful mother and was often sought after for advice regarding married life and children. After all, she was the only member of their group of friends who had gotten married and had children. Between caring for Ryu, who was going to start elementary school in the coming school year and being a housewife, Miyuki was taking up a degree in business administration so that she could aid her husband in his business… that was until she found out that she was pregnant again. Ryu was ecstatic that he was finally going to get a little sister and often tried his best to make things easier for his mother. Miyuki truly appreciated her son more because of his efforts and she also appreciated Jin's willingness to help Kairos start over from scratch with his Security Academy and Agency. Jin was so kind and generous to Kairos that after helping to found the academy, he was also the first to hire a bodyguard to watch over his wife and son while he was travelling to different countries for business. At present, Miyuki is seven months pregnant and awaiting the birth of her daughter.

The woman called Shizuma Hanazono was a complicated matter that only her friends could observe and see. The then twenty-four year old woman had fallen into a sheer bout of depression that started the day after the oilrig destruction. She was also the only one among her friends who chose to distance herself from them. The platinum-haired woman chose to lead a solitary life… for half a year at least. After staying cooped up in her home for half a year, she broke out of the prison she had locked herself in and seemingly went back to living a normal life. Shizuma decided to go back to her career of being a model and a pianist. Despite regaining her past persona, she still distanced herself from her friends, but not to the point that their relationships would become broken. Instead of seeking help from Jez to help jumpstart her career once more, Shizuma did things on her own and eventually landed several jobs that boosted her popularity and reputation. Just as Jez became a household name in the United States of America, Shizuma's name became known in households, TV stations, radio stations and others across the several countries. The exotic-looking Japanese woman had shot up to stardom in the year and a half that had passed since she broke out of her seclusion.

Shizuma Hanazono was now always sought after by big named fashion labels, fashion magazines, TV shows and the like. She had become so in demand that she finally had to hire a manager to help her handle her affairs. Her work as a model eventually overshadowed her pianist career, which she decided to drop and just keep as a pastime. During her stint as a model in the early parts of the revival of her career, people were puzzled at the fact that the stunningly beautiful woman never seemed to be interested in a relationship. When she would be asked by reporters and the paparazzi about it, Shizuma would just simply smile and say that there wasn't anyone at the moment who reached her standards that caught her amber eyes. What they didn't know was that there was a man by the name of Sebastian Crowell who was courting her. The man was a well-known face for her was an actor who had been in the business since he was a young teenager. Now at twenty-eight years old, he had told reporters that he had just found the woman of his dreams. It was only then that people began to talk about the relationship between the actor called Sebastian Crowell and the model Shizuma Hanazono. The two celebrities were soon often seen together in parties, premiers and other events. Whenever asked if there was indeed something going on between her and the actor, Shizuma would always reply that the older man was a friend. She although would admit that despite seeing him as a friend, it was true that the actor was in the process of courting her.

Two years had already passed… and this was how their lives were going now.

* * *

"Shooting practice next, rookies!" Kairos roared as he oversaw his class of thirty-two students. Usually, the ex-Lionheart organization agent would get down and dirty and join his students during the martial arts training sessions, but he decided against it today. It was late afternoon already and it was the eve of that tragic day. Tomorrow would mark two years since that day when his charge and the other experimental subject called Leon perished in the missile assault. "Kahlil, you handle the shooting practice today," he told his former agent before heading to his office.

Kairos looked out the window of his office down at the crowded roads below. He let out a long breath as he ran a hand through the inch-long blonde stubble on his head. His growing hair reminded him of the promise to shape up. It was over a year ago now when he had shaved his head bald to commemorate his reformation. The anger he had for his former organization had subsided some, but he could not help but rant whenever he would be reminded about them. He still could not find it in himself to forgive McQueen and the rest of the council. They had been the ones who ordered the _Luminaire_ strategy to be executed. Kairos never thought that the organization would come to the decision to launch the Surface-to-Surface ballistic missiles or SSM for short at the oilrig headquarters of ShadowLabs.

There had been no survivors in that missile attack… none that Kairos had wanted. Hunter Redfern's charred body was found in the ocean when search teams scoured the area. It was assumed that since he was at the edge of the platform when the missile had hit, his body was spared. Professor Redfern managed to escape alive. The man had apparently boarded a speedboat below the elevated platform of the oilrig. He was still knocked unconscious from the impact of the missile attack whilst escaping. The balding copper-haired man was now in the custody of the Lionheart Organization. Kairos had no idea what they were doing with him, but he hoped they kept him locked up. There was no sign of Blake and Leon's bodies. Not a trace was left of them. Experts who were brought in to observe the wreckage speculated that their bodies were incinerated completely in the blast since they were both at the center of the oilrig's platform.

"You got a visitor boss," Kahlil called from the other side of his door.

"Let him in," Kairos replied, turning away from the window to regard the unexpected visitor. Kairos smiled and scooped up his younger sister in a tight hug. "You rarely visit me these days," he told the fashion designer. "What brings you here?"

"I just happened to be in the area," Jez replied, dropping her bag on the floor and plopping herself down onto one of the leather armchairs in the room. She stared out of the window in silence. "It's tomorrow already," she said with a sigh. "Two years… has it been that long?"

Kairos released a sigh of his own and sank into his own chair. "I... I still find it hard to believe that she's been gone for this long," Kairos admitted sadly. "I miss her badly."

"I do too." Jez nodded, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "The apartment seems empty without her there." She smiled softly. "Sometimes I expect a head of raven hair pop out of that room," she shared, chuckling a bit. "And those piercing gray eyes of hers… it's… just taking such a long time for it to fully sink in."

Kairos rested his hand against his forehead. "We're moving on," he said with a tight smile. "People don't expect us to get over this so easily, but it's not healthy for us to dwell on her death." He got back up to his feet to stand by the window. "Are there any plans for tomorrow?"

"We're planning to head over to Kaname's house to do some… remembering. It's going to be something like a reunion too for us." Jez leaned back in the chair. "We haven't been in groups of more than three since we were all together on that day two years ago." She looked expectantly at her brother. "You're coming right? Almost everyone is attending tomorrow even Ash's younger sister and a few of Amane's friends from the horse club."

The ex-guardian nodded his head regally. "I'll be there tomorrow," he agreed. "I've already told Kahlil and the others that they'll be in charge of tomorrow's sessions while I take a day off."

"Tomorrow then, Kairos," Jez said then got back up to her feet. "I need to cut this visit short. I have to head over to Broadway and check the costumes of the cast." She grabbed her bag from the floor and opened the door. The designer looked over her shoulder. "I'll be coming home to the apartment tonight. Do you want to order take-out or something?"

"Japanese?" Kairos suggested.

"I do have a craving for some raw fish," Jez replied, waving her fingers at her brother before closing the door behind her.

Kairos turned around once again to regard the environment outside his window. "Must I have to remember?" he asked himself. "Every time I hear your name or reminded about any aspect of you, I see your face and it just brings back the pain I felt when you were killed." He shook his head. "I broke my promise to Mikhaila, you know," he addressed the darkening skies, sadness filling his emerald green eyes. "I promised her that I would help you live your life, but I came up short."

* * *

_17__th__ of November… the next night… the day Blake Saberhart died…_

* * *

Kairos found himself seated at the bar of Kaname's home with a bottle of beer in his hands. It was past eight in the evening and he had just arrived. Almost everyone was present in the gathering. Kaname and Momomi passed around food and drinks as people chatted with each other in the spacious living room of the couple. Amane sat with Hikari on the couch, her arm wrapped around the younger girl's waist. Emil and two other girls from the horse club were conversing with each other in one corner of the room. Dom was having a deep talk about college with Chikaru. Ash and Jez were asking some advice from Shion regarding giving birth through artificial insemination. Miyuki was rocking a sleeping Ryu against her chest while her husband talked quietly into his cellphone.

Almost everyone was there except for the platinum-haired woman. Kairos scanned the crowd once more then looked out the windows to check if the famous model would indeed drop by. Jez had assured him that she contacted everyone about the gathering that night, but had no idea if Shizuma would indeed turn up.

"She still isn't here," Momomi announced after looking out the window.

Chikaru sighed deeply. "Perhaps she's busy. She is after all a famous celebrity now," she pointed out.

"But still! Among all of us here, she is really the one who needs to be here!" Momomi replied.

Kaname squeezed her lover's shoulder. "We cannot expect her to show up just because she was the lover of Blake." She shook her head. "You have to remember that she had the hardest time compared to all of us. Shizuma has had far too many experiences of loved ones leaving her."

Miyuki transferred her son into her husband's arms. "Knowing Shizuma, she would not want to come," she told their group. "Once she gets over the pain of losing someone dear to her, she tries her best to avoid being reminded of that pain." The mother gently smoothed the tussled hair of her sleeping son before returning her gaze at her friends. "Shizuma did that when Kaori died and when Blake left Astraea Hill."

"So she's not coming then?" Jez asked, looking a bit disappointed.

"Most likely," Miyuki replied, reaching into her husband's pocket and fished out their car keys. "Will you excuse me for a while? I have a feeling I know where Shizuma is right now."

Jin nodded his head and leaned down to peck his wife's cheek. "Drive carefully," he advised her. "Don't forget that you are pregnant, dear." He smiled broadly at her.

Kairos got onto his feet. "Shall I go with you Miyuki?" he asked.

The blue-haired mother shook her head and politely declined. "I will be alright," she assured Kairos. "This is something… that a best friend should do on her own." She waved goodbye to the people around her and left.

Kairos and Jez looked through the window and watched as Miyuki drove off into the darkness. "Do you think she'll find her, brother?" Jez asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"They are best friends," Kairos pointed out. "Let's leave them to talk about it on their own. For now, let us continue our happy reminiscing!" He raised his beer bottle into the air the gulped down the alcoholic beverage.

* * *

The waves noisily crashed rhythmically against the beach as a chilly ocean breeze blew across the coast. It was considerably darker than the usual night despite the full moon and the stars that dotted the endless black canopy above. The figure wrapped in a trench coat trudged down the beach… just a few kilometers away from Raine Skylar's humble abode. The mysterious person continued to walk down the beach then sat down gingerly on a spot that was several meters away from the water.

From the distance, one could make out the remains of the destroyed oilrig. The large platform that held the main hold and the oil tanks were gone, but the huge metal post that held the whole rig up was still pointing out of the water. It was just a large scrap of metal in the ocean, but it was the known resting place of Blake Saberhart.

Footsteps that sunk into the sand sounded and got louder as it got even closer. Finally it stopped. "I thought I would find you here… Shizuma," the familiar lilting voice told the seated figure on the sand. "We were all waiting for you at Kaname's home," Miyuki told her best friend, carefully lowering herself to the ground beside the platinum-haired woman. "Phew! That was a bit tiring!" The blue-haired mother gently rubbed her swollen belly.

"You should not have forced yourself to find me, Miyuki," Shizuma said softly, still looking out into the ocean. "Expectant mothers shouldn't be out here in this kind of weather." She pulled up her collar to shield her neck from the icy winds.

"I'm alright Shizuma," Miyuki assured her friend. "I am more worried about you. How have you been? I rarely see or hear from you anymore." She reached out with her hand and took hold of Shizuma's hand.

The model sighed. "I have been busy like most celebrities. Most of my days are spent working in a studio, attending conferences, premiers, parties and travelling to different countries." She squeezed her best friend's hand. "My career is flourishing, but it leaves me exhausted every night." She looked at Miyuki with the corners of her amber eyes. "I was really going to attend the… gathering tonight," she admitted. "It's just that," she started, closing her eyes. "When I drove down this road and spotted the beach and the remains of the oilrig, I couldn't help myself," she continued, a sad smile forming on her face. "I had to stop and come here for a while. After doing some thinking, I was suddenly no longer in the mood to attend."

"That's reasonable," Miyuki assured Shizuma before falling into a comfortable silence. "What were you thinking about before I arrived?"

"Stuff," came the vague reply.

"Shizuma…" Miyuki warned, leaning into her friend's side.

The other woman huffed out, her breath coming out in wisps of white. "You _know_ what I was thinking about very well, Miyuki." She hugged her knees against her chest. "I don't really want to talk about it anymore," she told her friend. Shizuma leaned closer to Miyuki in attempt to get warmer. "When are you due, Miyuki?"

"January," her best friend replied. "You'll be the godmother alright?"

"Of course, Miyuki."

"Will you here then?"

Shizuma shook her head. "I'm leaving for London in two weeks and I'll be there for a few months," she explained. "Don't worry. I'll be sure to call you often," she promised. "You'll have to email me pictures of the baby when she comes."

"Shizuma…"

"What is it?"

"Is there something going on between you and that actor called Sebastian?" Miyuki looked at her best friend with seriousness in her eyes.

The platinum-haired woman sighed. "Don't you listen to the news?"

"I don't believe in everything the media says," Miyuki retorted.

"Then this is one thing you should believe in," Shizuma shot back. "There is nothing going on between me and Sebastian." She titled her head back to look at the starlit skies. "He's just really persistent when it comes to courting me. You needn't worry, Miyuki." Shizuma glanced at her watch. "It's getting late. You need to go indoors and I have work to do early tomorrow morning." She got to her feet first and helped the young mother up to her feet.

"May I ask you something Shizuma?"

"Go ahead."

"You must promise me that you'll answer me honestly."

Shizuma let out an exasperated breath. "I'll do my best to answer." She dusted the sand off her bottom and the rest of her clothes as she waited to hear Miyuki's question.

"Do you miss _her?_"

Her throat clenched tightly upon hearing the question. Shizuma had already told her friend that she did not want to talk about it, but apparently Miyuki didn't really care. "I have given up already."

"I asked if _you missed her_, Shizuma," Miyuki asked again, she gently gazed at her.

Shizuma began to walk up the slope of the beach, leaving an unanswered Miyuki. Before she stepped off the beach and back onto the parking lot, Shizuma have her answer. "I miss her terribly," she said loudly enough for Miyuki to hear. "But I've just about given up," she continued, shoving her hands into her coat's pockets. "Some promises…" A memory of a raven-haired woman promising to come back flashed in her mind. "…are just not meant to be kept." She got into her car and drove back to the city, leaving a pondering Miyuki behind.

* * *

_Mid-January… London…_

* * *

Violins played a romantic serenade in the brightly lit French fine-dining restaurant that night. Well-dressed waiters came and go with a variety of food dishes and served them expertly to their customers that night. Shizuma was somewhat glad at the change of atmosphere as she sipped her wine. She had been working for the past few months with little time for breaks. Tonight happened to be one of the few times she had time for herself, although she wasn't technically by herself. The platinum-haired woman smiled at her companion.

"Enjoyed the meal?" The handsome man asked her from across the table. The man had a flawless set of white teeth and was not afraid to show them off in his trademark dazzling style. Of course, it was expected from an actor with such a reputation as his. Sebastian Crowell was a stunning man of his caliber. Honey-brown hair topped his head and his face had nearly perfect chiseled features from his straight nose, soft lips and strong jaw line. He stood at a stocking six feet and two inches, having played for his school's basketball team when he was younger. Magazines would often describe in their columns that Sebastian had the body of a god, claiming that the man had no excess fat and had the right amount of muscle for someone with the type of build he had.

Shizuma nodded her head. "I haven't eaten like this for a while now," she admitted. "I get home so late from work that I just order take-out meals." She gestured at the well-pressed suit her companion wore. "It's nice to see you looking so dashing in formal attire."

Sebastian grinned. "Thanks! The same goes for you!" Shizuma was of course dressed for the occasion. She was wearing a strapless, designer-made, black gown for the night with jewelry that adorned her ears and wrists. A simple silver necklace with a pendant was draped around her neck.

"I was rather surprised when you called all of a sudden and asked to go out for dinner," Shizuma told her dining partner.

"Why is that?"

Shizuma patted her chin with one delicate finger. "Well, I knew that you were back in the USA shooting another movie and I wasn't expecting you drop by so suddenly."

"Aren't you glad I did drop by?" He tried to pout, but only managed to make the exotic beauty before him laugh in amusement. "I'd like to believe that I made you day."

Shizuma ceased laughing but kept the amused smile on her face. "Don't worry, you did make my day." She looked around the restaurant as she fanned herself unconsciously. "Is it me or is it getting quite crowded and stuffy in here?" she asked.

"Now that I think about it," Sebastian began, slipping a finger into his collar and pulling it away from his neck. "It is getting a bit hot in here. Perhaps it's because the restaurant is accommodating more people than the usual." He signaled for their waiter to bring their bill and quickly paid for it. "Shall we head outside?" He got up to his feet and headed to Shizuma's side to assist her out of her chair.

Shizuma allowed the older man to link their arms together and lead her out of the restaurant. As they exited the establishment, she looked up and noticed that the skies were threatening to open on them. "It looks like it is about to rain, Sebastian," she informed, watching him give his number to the valet boy.

The actor frowned up at the skies as he walked back to Shizuma. "Are you sure you don't need a ride home? I wouldn't mind dropping you off at your apartment," he told Shizuma as the valet boy brought around his rented car.

Shizuma shook her head. "You'd be going out of your way just to drop me off," she replied with a smile. "I'll just take a cab."

Sebastian sighed and shrugged off his coat. "Here," he said, stepping around Shizuma and draping the coat over her shoulders. "You should wear this then. You could return it when we see each other again," he said quite hopefully.

"You're just using this as an excuse to see me again," the platinum-haired model guessed.

Sebastian grinned, but did not reply to that. He suddenly looked nervous as he put his hands in his pockets. "Listen Shizuma," he said seriously. "I didn't fly here for nothing. There was really something that I needed to do." He stepped closer to Shizuma and brought out one of his hands from his pockets. "I've been really serious about courting you this past year," he explained. "When I told those reporters that I had found the woman of my dreams, I was really serious about that too." He took Shizuma's hand and placed something into the center of her upturned palm.

"This!?" Shizuma's eyes widened as she stared at the object in her hand.

"You don't need to answer right away," the actor said hurriedly. "I'm a really patient guy," he reminded her. "You should know especially since I've been courting you for a little over a year now." He took a deep breath, leaned down slightly and pecked Shizuma's lips lightly. "I-I'm in love with you, Shizuma." He gave her one last smile then hurriedly boarded his car and drove away as the skies opened and began to rain.

Shizuma was in shock as she stared at the diamond ring on the palm of her hand. She had not expected the ever so playful Sebastian Crowell to be serious about starting a relationship with her. _He wants to get engaged_, Shizuma thought. She held the ring with two fingers and looked at it carefully as the rain came down harder.

"You'll catch a cold, miss," a young man in slacks, long-sleeved shirt and vest stood beside her, holding a large umbrella over them. "Shall I accompany you to your car?" he asked, sheltering the both of them from the rain.

"No… There's no need," Shizuma replied absentmindedly, not even bothering to regard the man who kept her safe from the rain. She was still gazing intently at the diamond ring.

"Shall I call you a cab then?"

This time Shizuma did not reply. She was too engrossed with the offered engagement ring. She finally decided to try the ring on and was about it onto her ring finger when the man spoke again.

"Quite a nice ring you have there. Accepting his proposal I presume?"

Shizuma turned her head to look at the annoyingly inquisitive young man beside her, but could not make out the features of his face due to his rather long hair. The front covered the side of his face that was facing Shizuma while the rest of his black hair was tied in a loose ponytail. "And If I was going to accept, what does it have to do with you?" she demanded.

"Easy there, Shizuma-san," the young man told her, his head slowly tilting up. "I had a feeling that this was going to happen, so I headed down here to meet you."

The platinum-haired woman was starting to feel annoyed. "You sound like you know me, but I have no business with you," she told the man.

"Is that so? You may see it that way, but I have _business _with you, Shizuma." The black-haired man faced his body towards Shizuma and let her regard him. "I would be quite upset if you were to accept that man's proposal," he continued, observing the shocked look on the model's face.

"You're… alive?!" Shizuma gazed intently at the face that looked down at her. Indeed the raven black hair was a common thing to see, but the crimson colored eyes that locked with her amber orbs were especially familiar. Aside from that, there was healed scar that started from the man's eyebrow, went across the bridge of his nose and ended on the opposite cheekbone.

"I wouldn't be standing here before you if I was a corpse, Shizuma," the raven-haired man replied. "Now please listen to my words. I would advise you to not act hastily on the proposal of Crowell. There are things that you must settle before you make such a decision." His crimson eyes bore into her.

Shizuma forced herself to look away. "You have no right to tell me that. I can do whatever I wish to do. Now please leave," she told the man. "I am in a hurry to head home." She stepped away from the shelter of the umbrella and started walking towards the cab stop.

"Has your mind become this clouded in the two years that have come and gone?"

"Leave me alone, Leon," Shizuma finally said his name out loud, as she tried to flag a cab down.

The crimson-eyed 54,601 stared at her. "Then I suppose you mean that you would not like to see _her,_" he replied, watching as the drenched platinum-haired woman froze and stared back at him.

Shizuma slowly walked back under the shelter of Leon's umbrella. She was deeply confused with what she felt at the moment. "She's… alive?" she whispered, she placed a hand over her pulsing heart. "But how?"

Leon reached out with his free hand and fixed the coat around Shizuma's shoulders. "I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for her," he replied. "It makes sense that if I lived, she would be alive as well."

Shizuma held back long forgotten tears as her hand went up and gripped the front of Leon's vest. "…Where is she…" she asked in a whisper.

The raven-haired man nodded his head and linked their arms together. "I will take you to her, Shizuma," Leon told her. "We'll have to take a plane to get to where she is though," he added. "I flew in myself this morning when I got the news that Crowell had suddenly appeared at your doorstep."

"Is she well?" Shizuma asked as she walked alongside the scarred man.

Leon merely stared ahead. "We'll arrive there tomorrow morning and we'll have to take a car to reach the place she's staying at."

"Where?"

Leon readjusted his grip on the umbrella. "She's in Finland."

* * *

_**Another chapter uploaded in the span of 24 hours! Things are looking up right? I hoped you guys enjoyed reading this chapter!**_

_**NinjaM: Well, as you could see from this chapter, I made my decision. You'll only be able to see if this will indeed be a happy ending in the epilogue! :)**_

_**Alaeri: There has to be a twist! Hahaha! McQueen did like Blake and you'll see in the epilogue why she issued that order. About your guess, well it's quite close. Hahaha! **_

_**RavenTheBirdSpirit: You ended up right with your guess after reading this chapter. :)**_

_**Final Chapter: Epilogue**_


	27. Epilogue

_**To the readers, if you got time or if you already have it, I'd suggest reading this epilogue along with the song of Our Lady Peace that's entitled "Somewhere Out There". For me, the song really fits.**_

_**The end of this journey...**_

* * *

_Epilogue_

It was just really sudden. She had not expected the man who once saved her from ShadowLabs to just appear at her side in the bustling city of London. Before she entering the airport, she left a voice message on her manager's cellphone, explaining that she needed to go somewhere for a few days and apologized for her disappearance. Shizuma even thought for a moment that she was looking at Blake Saberhart because of the vast similarity between the two of them. The last time she had seen Leon, he still had boyish feature to him. Now, he was taller and was sharper looking. She was feeling a little amused as she glanced at Leon from her seat in the small-chartered plane. They had left the London airport at around one in the morning. He really did look a lot like Blake... even the way he dressed was exactly just like Blake's style of clothing.

"You are staring."

Shizuma turned away, feeling her cheeks grow hot. "Sorry," she mumbled, wrapping her arms around her shivering body. She was still wearing the coat of Sebastian, but she still felt cold. It was already winter in these parts of Europe. Finland was one of the northernmost countries in the world and was located quite close to the Arctic Circle. "You just remind me a lot of, Blake," she admitted.

Leon raised an eyebrow at his travelling companion. "Well," he glanced at his watch. "We have about twenty minutes more before we land." The flight from London to Finland lasted three hours. "The reason why I remind you of Blake a lot is because I'm her half brother."

"You never mentioned this when you broke Blake and me out from oilrig," Shizuma said, a little bit surprised at the revelation. She most felt that she understood now why Blake and Leon indeed looked alike.

"I didn't want to reveal myself and it wasn't the right time," Leon replied. "Blake only found out when I led the attack for ShadowLabs two years ago." Leon waved a stewardess over. "May I ask for a blanket for my friend here?" Once the stewardess had gone to do his bidding, he focused his attention on Shizuma. "She was unbelieving at first, but after all the explaining I did she finally accepted it."

Shizuma nodded her head and gratefully accepted the blanket when the stewardess came back. "So you had the same father?" she asked, wrapping the blanket around her cold frame. "I'm assuming you had a different mother since Raine Skylar told us that she only had one child."

The young man nodded. "I was a 'test tube baby' as they would describe it. The scientists from ShadowLabs used a collected sample of semen from Alex Skylar and a random egg cell from an unknown woman to make me." He looked out into the early morning skies. "I was told from the start though that I was the younger brother of 22,018 or Blake Saberhart." He was silent for a few seconds. "I think the Redferns were trying to play with mind, making me feel like I was inferior to Blake. Unfortunately, it worked because I willingly fought Blake two years ago."

"How did the two of you survive that missile attack?"

Leon lowered his gaze and closed his eyes. "Hunter had just fired the rocket launcher at one of the oil tanks," he recounted. "The whole platform was on fire and Blake and I were still in the middle of the platform surrounded by burning debris. Blake was unconscious after being fired at by Hunter and I was just about to go unconscious too from exhaustion and smoke inhalation. While I was on the ground and losing my sight, I managed to catch Blake moving and pushing herself up to her hands and knees. She was picking me up when I finally lost it."

"So you weren't conscious when the missiles hit the oilrig?" Shizuma asked.

Leon nodded his head and fingered the scar on his face. "I got this though from the blast despite not really experiencing it first-hand," he explained. "By the time I had woken up, we were on some deserted part of a beach several miles away from the destroyed oilrig. The tide was coming in and I was partly in the water. Blake was a few feet beside me and she looked almost lifeless." His hands clenched involuntarily. "I dragged Blake for a few miles and broke into a closed clinic and did my best with our injuries. Thankfully, I learned a few things from one of the doctors at ShadowLabs before he was killed."

"How did you end up in Finland?" Shizuma asked, hearing the pilot's voice on the plane's sound system. "You're quite a ways from the USA and why didn't you contact any of us? We could have helped you and Blake!" The model was feeling a little bit angry at the fact that Blake's existence was kept from her.

Leon leaned forward and rested his elbows on his lap. "If people found out, specifically the Lionheart Organization and the government, Blake and I would never be free again," he explained. "They'll be fighting over us... we are still weapons after all. I didn't want that to happen so I stowed away on a freight liner with the help of some sympathetic crew members. They bought my story thankfully," he added. "I didn't know the freight liner was heading for Finland so I did my part and helped the ship's crew to feed myself, earn some money and to care for Blake. The doctor on the ship even cared for Blake while I worked."

Amber orbs regarded the young man beside her. "She was still unconscious?"

"Coma," Leon informed. "We were at sea for two months already and she wasn't awake yet. They wanted to stop at the nearest port so that I could take her to the hospital, but I refused and gave them another story to believe in." He chuckled. "I have never lied in my life and I thought I'd be found out easily but it turned out I was a really believable person. Anyway, by the time we arrived at Finland, I had earned enough money to go by for a few weeks. This far away from America, I did not worry about the Lionheart organization or the Finland's government searching for us. They knew we were dead anyway."

"It must have been difficult to go by with what little you had," Shizuma commented. "Not to mention you had to care for a comatose Blake at the same time." She buckled on her seatbelt when the pilot announced that they were approaching the runway. "How did you manage anyway?"

Leon also buckled on his seatbelt and straightened his shirt and vest. "I did a few odd jobs and earned enough to feed myself and pay for motel rooms, but of course it didn't last," he told Shizuma. "We were in Finland for about a month when I finally had no more money. We were in the southern Savonia when that happened. I was carrying Blake as we walked down the deserted highway that cut through a forest. Since I had no more money, I couldn't afford hiring transportation so I decided to walk to the next city and try looking for work there."

"Did you make it to the next city?"

Leon shook his head and smiled ruefully at the model beside him. "The next city was over thirty miles away and I didn't have it in me anymore to keep going," he said. "I brought Blake to a big tree on the side of the highway and sat down there. I was just going to rest, but I was starting to lose consciousness. I blacked out a few moments after that and when I woke up, I was in a bed and staring up at a wooden ceiling."

"A hospital?" Shizuma tried, bracing herself as the plane touched down in the small airport in southern Savonia.

"Nope," he replied, glancing out the window and frowning as sleet hit the windows. "It turned out someone happened to be driving down the highway and spotted me and Blake on the side of the road." He pointed outside the window and showed Shizuma that it was snowing. "Blake and I were brought to a small cabin hidden in the forest a few miles away from where I passed out. Ever since then, Blake and I lived with that person. Blake woke up a week after being saved," Leon informed her. "She didn't talk or do anything for the next few months though. She talks now, but she's still withdrawn."

Shizuma threw the blanket off herself and fixed the coat around her body. She was still wearing her gown from the dinner earlier. She and Leon got up and headed out of the plane and into the quaint airport. She wanted to change into more comfortable clothing, but she had no idea where she should get some.

"Would you like to put on more comfortable clothing suited for this kind of weather?" Leon asked, reading her expression. "I need to get a coat myself. I know this airport has a store that sells coats and some other clothing. I'm just not sure if it's open at this time of the morning." He glanced at the large digital clock hanging from the ceiling and noting that it was past five in the morning.

"It's worth a try," Shizuma told the younger man. "Lead on, Leon." She followed Leon through the airport until they stood outside a small store run by two women.

"May I help you?" one of the women greeted. She smiled warmly at Kairos and at Shizuma. "In need of clothing for this weather?"

Leon nodded and smiled back as the other woman attending the store walked to them. "Actually, I'm from around here and I accidentally left my coat," he informed them. "My friend here doesn't need a coat, but she would like a change of clothes. Could you find something that would fit her?"

"I'll see what I can find," the first woman said. She frowned at her young assistant who gaped at their customers. "Aino! Why are you staring like that? Don't be rude!" she scolded.

Shizuma smiled at the gaping Finnish woman. "Please don't scold her," she told the owner of the store. "I think I'm the reason for her odd behavior."

Leon grinned at the confused look on the owner's face and pointed at a nearby magazine rack. "Why not take a look at those magazines?" He watched as the owner leaned forward and looked at the magazine covers, her eyes widening in shock upon realization of who her customer was.

"Shizuma Hanazono?!" The owner breathed out, feeling flustered. "Please come in!" she invited Shizuma and Leon inside her store. "You could pick out anything you want!"

After ten minutes, Shizuma walked out from a nearby public bathroom in a fresh set of clothing. She shrugged on her borrowed coat over a light blue-gray long-sleeved shirt and jeans. She sat on a bench in the store, holding her high heels on her lap. "I don't think going out in this cold weather in heels is appropriate," she told Leon and the two women sheepishly.

The store assistant named Aino stepped around her boss shyly. "Miss Hanazono," she started. "I could lend you my sneakers if you want. We look to be the same size." She was blushing as she made the offer to the famous model. "We could give you a brand new pair of socks too," she added.

Shizuma smiled brightly at the assistant. "Really? Are you sure it wouldn't be any trouble?" she asked, watching the woman nod her head vigorously. "I am truly grateful!" The platinum-haired woman began to pull on the socks and slipped her feet into the offered sneakers. "I have to thank you somehow," Shizuma said, looking at the heels in her hands. "Here," she handed the pair to the woman. "It's a fair trade, right?" The store assistant continued to goggle at her. "I suppose I could also give an autograph and pose for a picture," she joked, smiling when Aino took the pair from Shizuma's hands and grinned.

As the owner brought out a permanent marker, Shizuma posed with a star-struck Aino while Leon took the picture. Afterwards Shizuma, autographed Aino's diary and happily autographed the store's wall as requested by the owner. She stood back to look at her work. The wall sported her sharp cursive that said, _"Thanks for the clothes! You saved me from freezing in this weather! I'll remember you always! Shizuma Hanazono."_

"We should get going," Leon announced, shrugging on the newly bought coat. He shook hands with the store owner. "Thank you for everything," he said, smiling at her and Aino. "I have a feeling, business will be booming after this."

"I believe so," the owner replied, shaking hands first with Leon then with Shizuma. "Have a safe trip and enjoy Finland!" She and her assistant waved at Shizuma and Leon as they walked to the exit.

Leon immediately flagged a cab down and helped Shizuma into the backseat as an icy wind hit their bodies. He said something in Finnish to the cab driver before leaning back. "It'll take us about an hour to get to the place. Why not take a nap first? You haven't had any sleep since I picked you up." He made himself more comfortable, looking like he was going to do for a nap himself. "I'll wake you when we're there."

Shizuma nodded and allowed her eyes to close. _I'll see her again... I've... missed her so much._

* * *

Shizuma woke up slowly, feeling the cab drive over a rough road. She sat up straight and rubbed her eyes sleepily. Looking out the sleet-covered windows, she gazed in silent awe at the scene before her. They were driving through a snow-covered forest. Shizuma craned her neck to look up at the skies as snow continued to fall.

"Awake already?" Leon asked her. "We're quite close already. Just a few more minutes down this road and we'll be at the cabin." They waited in silence looking out the windows for the next five minutes until the raven-haired man pointed out a fairly large wood cabin in an open area in the forest. The cab parked in front of the house and accepted the offered cash and generous tip from Leon.

Shizuma got down first to gaze at the homey looking house. She let out a long sigh, her breath coming out in wisps of white. They were finally here. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into the smiling face of Leon.

"Let's go inside," he suggested. "It's starting to get really cold and the snow looks to be coming down harder." He led her up the small path and onto the roofed veranda. He knocked briskly on the door and waited patiently as the door opened and a young woman with long and wavy hazel hair smiled at them. "Morning Elina," Leon greeted. "I was hoping you'd be awake already."

The woman named Elina smiled warmly at Leon and at Shizuma. She looked to be in her late twenties and had jade green eyes. "I didn't expect you to be back so soon!" she ushered the two into her home, closing the door behind her. "And you brought a visitor too!"

Shizuma looked around the interior of the house. She liked it that there was burning fire in the fireplace and that it kept the inside deliciously warm. It was modestly furnished too. There weren't too many furniture and decorations. Her eyes then locked with the jade green eyes of the house owner.

"You must be Shizuma," Elina exclaimed, shaking hands with the platinum-haired woman. "I've heard a lot about you," she told her.

Shizuma cocked her eyebrows. "Oh? From who?"

Elina laughed. "Well from television and radios," she replied with a smile. "Whenever I head to work your name is often mentioned." She reached up and ruffled Leon's rumpled hair. "But most of the things I heard about you came from this guy here." She motioned at a pot of steaming coffee. "Would you like something to hot to drink?"

Leon shook his head. "Maybe later, Elina," he replied. "I brought Shizuma over to settle an important matter."

The hazel-haired woman cocked her head in interest at Shizuma. "Ah I see now," she said. "She is here for _hopeinen." _She motioned for them to follow her through the house.

"_Hopeinen?_" Shizuma asked, looking puzzled. She and Leon followed Elina across the first floor towards another door at the back. She glanced at Leon for an explanation.

"She said 'silver' in Finnish. It's her nickname for her," Leon explained as she and Shizuma waited for the older woman to open the door. Apparently, it was a back door that would lead them to a small enclosure outside. "Has she been out there long?" he asked Elina.

"For a few hours now," Elina replied, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "Go on ahead outside. I'm sure she'll be glad to see her brother again," she said then smiled at Shizuma. "I'm also quite sure she'll be glad to see you too, Shizuma."

Leon led the way outside, shivering slightly at the cold. The snow had temporarily let up a bit, giving the both of them a good view of Elina's huge forest backyard. Several meters away from them, there sat a familiar raven-haired woman on a tree stump with her back turned to them. Raven hair tied in a loose ponytail that had been short two years ago now fell a handful of inches below her shoulders. Despite the weather, the woman looked to be wearing only a somewhat thick long sleeved shirt made of fleece and pants. Snow had collected on the tops of her shoulders and there was some in her hair.

"That's been her favourite spot since we arrived here," Leon told Shizuma in a whisper. "Even in the winter, she can sit there for hours and hours at a time." He looked at the sitting figure and cupped his hand beside his mouth. "I'm back big sister!" he called.

He and Shizuma watched as the figure's head raised up slightly then tilted to the side, turning an ear to them as if to listen. A grunt came from the seated person. "Disappeared without a word," the familiar deep voice said.

Leon rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that," he apologized. "Won't you come inside? You'll catch your death if you keep sitting out in this kind of cold." He looked to his side and saw that Shizuma continued to gaze at the raven-haired woman.

"I'm comfortable here," the woman replied in a cold voice, turning her head away from them to regard the forest once more.

"I brought a visitor, big sister," Leon called out, patting Shizuma's shoulder and smiling at her.

They watched the raven-haired woman's shoulders droop. "Visitor?" she asked, sounding uninterested. "I'm not interested, Leon," she said, paying them no mind.

"I'm sure this visitor will help you out," Leon reasoned out, gently pushing Shizuma forward, who looked confused with what she was supposed to do now.

The raven-haired woman let out a long sigh. "Another doctor? I told you so many times that I won't let a doctor see me," she told her brother.

"I know, big sister," Leon told her. "But I really believe you would like to see _this _visitor," he pressed on. Leon gestured at Shizuma and urged her on. He stood back and watched as the platinum-haired woman walked a few steps forward before stopping a few meters away from the seated woman.

Shizuma's heart thundered inside her chest as she struggled to control her emotions. Her feet sank a few inches into the snow-covered ground as she gazed at the raven-haired woman's back. She held her hand over her beating heart, closing her eyes and gathering her nerves. Looking up and opening her amber orbs, she said the first thing that was on her mind. "Blake..." she said softly.

The woman seated on the tree stump did not move and remained motionless for a few moments. Shizuma opened her mouth to call out again, but her voice caught in her throat when the raven-haired woman got to her feet, her head craning to the side first as her body slowly followed suit until she was facing the so-called visitor.

Shizuma could feel her lips quivering as she took in her lover's appearance. After two years of being taken for dead, Blake Saberhart still looked the same as she had back then. Aside from the longer hair, the woman before her was slightly thinner and had developed a harder and colder look on her face. Those once soft lips that smiled so easily for her were now drawn in a tight line. Her intense storm-gray eyes that used to be full of kindness were now empty and devoid of warmth. The two years had certainly done a lot for the raven-haired woman. "Blake..." she called out again in a shaky voice this time. Her emotions were getting the better of her. She could not help it anymore as tears trailed down her cold cheeks.

As she cried silently, she watched as the inadequately dressed Blake stood there for a few seconds before finally taking a step towards her. The slow gait turned into a purposeful stride and once she was a few feet away, the storm gray-eyed woman's arms raised up... hands reaching out and finding Shizuma's tear-stained face. Shizuma stood there unmoving as those piercing silver eyes stared at her while callused but gentle fingertips roamed her face. Blake's hands moved from beneath her quivering chin... up to Shizuma's smooth but tear stained cheeks... up higher into her silky platinum hair then settling her hands onto her cheeks, thumbs lightly pressing below her tearing amber orbs.

"Shizuma?" Blake finally said in a soft voice.

A sob broke out from Shizuma's lips. She thought that she would never hear that voice say her name ever again. She threw herself into Blake's embrace, burying her face into her fleece-covered chest. Breathing in deeply, the model recognized the familiar and unique scent or her lover. Her hands left Blake's back and travelled up to her lover's face, gazing at her yearningly before pulling her down to meet her waiting lips. The kiss was hot... sweet and full of yearning. When Shizuma pulled away, she saw Blake still looking at her with an unbreakable gaze, but there was a small smile on her lips.

"I thought that it was you," Blake said, her hands going up to Shizuma's face again, fingertips roaming over her features again. It was only now Shizuma realized that there was something unusual about the raven-haired woman. There was something... awkward about the way Blake's silver eyes stared at her and never seemed to lock with her amber orbs. Not to mention the way Blake was frequently running her hands over her face and hair.

"Blake?" Shizuma asked, looking confused, turning her head to the side and watched in surprise when her lover continued to gaze forward instead of following her gaze. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice sounding a bit scared. She listened to the woman sigh and watched her.

Blake stepped back and waved her hand over her unblinking eyes, letting Shizuma know her state with that simple action.

"She's blind, Shizuma." Leon walked over to where they stood.

The platinum-haired woman shook her head in disbelief as she stepped towards her lover and cupped Blake's face in her hands. She gazed into those unblinking silver eyes and it slowly dawned upon her that what Leon said was true. "How... did this happen?" she directed the question to no one in particular.

"From the blast two years ago," Leon answered, running a finger along the length of his scar on his face. "I was unconscious that time so my sight was spared. I think some burning debris... oil or something else hit Blake's eyes when we jumped the platform as it exploded upon impact from the missile attack." He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. "We only found out that she had gone blind when she woke from her coma of course," he explained. "She refuses to go to a doctor though to have her eyes checked. I tried to tell her that there was still a chance to restore her eyesight if she went."

Shizuma shook her head at the news. She looked up into Blake's face and smiled at her. "How could you tell that it was me?" she asked her lover. "My voice must have gave you a clue somewhat, right?"

Blake nodded her head, eyes still gazing at where she thought her lover stood. "I _felt_ it," she said, raising her hands in front of her face. "I've touched your face so many times in the past so I thought that I would be able to recognize the features on your face," she explained, running her fingers through her raven-black hair. "Your hair too," she added. Her head cocked to the side, her eyes gazing ahead unblinkingly. "You've grown thinner haven't you, Shizuma?" she asked. "Your face has hollowed out a bit." She frowned deeply.

Shizuma laughed for what seemed like the first time in years. "Work has done that to me," she told Blake. "I'm sure you've heard about my career from your brother and Elina."

"I heard, but I didn't really bother," Blake replied, her hand reached out and took Shizuma's hand into her own. Her slender fingers travelled down Shizuma's pale and cold digits and stopped at the diamond ring on her ring finger. "I heard that there was an auspicious actor courting you," she said darkly. "And it seems like you have already accepted his love."

Shizuma stared at her hand, realizing that she had accidentally slipped the ring on unknowingly. She jerked her hand away and pulled the ring off. "It's not like that, Blake," she tried, stuffing the ring into Sebastian's coat pocket. "He did court me, but I never expected him to propose."

Blake turned her head away, staring into the forest. "Is this why you disappeared suddenly, Leon?" she directed the question at her brother, not looking at him. "You found out somehow that Shizuma would be getting a proposal," she grunted. "You're starting to irk me." It came out as a deep and throaty growl. To Shizuma she asked, "How can I be so sure that it's not like that?" she muttered, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.

Shizuma was starting to get flustered before realizing she had something that would assure Blake of her love for her. Grabbing Blake's hand, she brought it up to her chest and closed her lover's fingers around the silver pendant around her neck. She waited patiently as Blake turned to face her once more while she ran her fingers over the features of the pendant.

Blake blinked once at Shizuma, holding the pendant in her fingers. "You... still have it?" she asked softly. Her fingers couldn't lie to her. After losing her sight, Blake had relied heavily on her sense of touch and hearing to get on with her life. Her fingers glided along the thin chain first then across the bumps and grooves of the silver dragon pendant that she had gotten from Mikhaila ten years back. She remembered that Kairos had told her that the pendant was with Shizuma after she had left Astraea Hill abruptly. She felt Shizuma nod her head.

Arms snaked around Blake's body. "This is far more important... and valuable to me," she whispered into Blake's ear. "You have to understand, Blake. I thought you were dead," she explained, shivering in the cold. "I may have been a little bit interested in Sebastian, but I was never looking forward to getting tied down by commitment..." she paused and looked at Blake. "... not with him at least," she added.

That startled a bark of laughter from Blake. "I guess I could believe you then," the raven-haired woman said, pulling away from Shizuma and twining their fingers together. "You're hands feel like ice," she remarked. "Let's head inside," she suggested, pulling Shizuma towards the house with Leon leading the way. "You could fill me in with what's been happening back at home."

* * *

"Take care of yourselves now!" It was the following day and they were standing outside of the airport departure gate. Elina had driven them to the airport after ensuring that each of them were warmly dressed and had full stomachs. The Finnish woman hugged Leon and patted the top of his head affectionately before pulling Blake into her arms. "As for you, _hopeinen,_" she used her nickname for the raven-haired woman. "No more of this sulking and depressed business of yours!" She pinched Blake's nose and grinned. "I heard you had quite a happy life before you and Leon ended up in my care," she said and stepped away. "Besides, you're reunited with the love of your life!"

Blake raised her eyebrows and turned an ear to Shizuma who had giggled. "I have a feeling you and Shizuma talked about a lot of _things_ last night."

Elina chuckled and hugged Shizuma this time. "Take care of _hopeinen_ here," she told the model. "I'm sure she'll give you an easier time than she did to me." The woman stepped away and smiled at each of them. "Make sure you bring her to a doctor too when you get back to America. It's worth a try to check if she could regain her eyesight."

"I'll be sure to do that, Elina," Shizuma told the older woman. "If you come to America, you're always welcome to stay with me."

Leon cleared his throat. "We should get going," he told them. "Our flight leaves in a half an hour." They said their goodbyes to Elina then headed into the airport. Half an hour later, the three of them were seated side by side in their plane that was bound for New York City. "We got a long flight ahead of us," Leon told his companions, noting the announcement of the pilot that it would take them around fourteen hours to reach New York. It would be around lunchtime when they would arrive. He leaned around Blake who sat between him and Shizuma in the first class section of the plane. "What do you intend to do when we arrive?"

Shizuma rested her elbow on the armrest and leaned her face on her hand. "Of course we have to inform everyone that the both of you are alright and also explain that the two of you are related," she stated, looking thoughtful. "I do want it to be a surprise though!" She broke into a wide smile. "I've got an idea," she told the brother and sister. "As soon as we land in New York, I'll contact a nearby hotel and hide you and Blake in one of the suites then I'll tell everyone that I'm throwing a party that night."

Leon chuckled and looked at his older sister. "Does that sound alright to you, big sister?" he asked.

Blake let out a long sigh. "I never liked these kinds of things, but I guess I could go along with it," she relented. "Anyway, the idea seems alright, but don't you think it'll get found out when we arrive at the airport?"

Leon nodded his head. "She's right," he agreed. "Two years may have passed since we were declared dead, but we shouldn't take any chances. The government and the Lionheart organization may have people at the airport who may recognize us." He also gestured at Shizuma with his hand. "Not to mention your presence alone will attract a lot of attention."

The seatbelt light blinked off and the pilot announced over the sound system that they were cruising at a good speed. Shizuma unbuckled her seatbelt and got to her feet. "Leave that to me," she told Blake and Leon. "I'll be right back." The platinum-haired woman walked down the aisle and through the curtains that separated first class from economy class. As soon the curtain settled in place, they could hear the sounds of raised voices and the clicks of cameras taking pictures.

"What is she doing?" Blake asked, her silver eyes staring at her brother who looked over the back of his seat.

"You got me," the eighteen-year old man replied, shrugging his shoulders in the process. "But it looks like she's getting a lot of attention back there," he remarked, reclining his chair and leaning back. Fifteen minutes later, Shizuma went back to first class with a handful of things in her arms.

"I've got it all covered," she told them with a grin, handing them the things she collected. She put a Boston Red Sox baseball cap on Leon's head and handed him a case of contact lenses and a bottle of the cleaning liquid. For Blake, she placed a rocker-style hoody on her head and handed her a pair of sports shades. "That's for your disguise when we get off the plane," she informed them after sitting down in her seat. "You wear the baseball cap and put on the colored contacts, Leon." She took the shades from Blake's hands and helped her lover slip it on. "Blake will wear the hoodie to cover her head and hide her hair. The shades will conceal her eyes."

Leon furrowed his eyebrows. "How did you get all of these things?" he asked with Blake nodding her head to the question.

The model chuckled and combed her hair with her fingers. "You won't believe the things people will do just to get a chance to talk with a famous celebrity," she told them with a grin.

"Let me guess," Blake said. "You used your womanly charms and exotic beauty to seduce both men and women to give their belongings to you," she drawled, wincing when Shizuma slapped her arm hard. "What?!" she demanded, rubbing the afflicted area of her arm. "Don't tell me you did something else."

Before Shizuma could voice out her retort, Leon cleared his throat and stopped them. "Let's not argue and just get some sleep," he suggested. "By the way Shizuma, what about transportation? We obviously can't be seen together. The paparazzi will be on you once you step out of the airport."

"I'll have my manager bring two cars," Shizuma replied. "I'll leave first on the first car then the other car will come and bring you and Blake to the hotel."

Blake placed her hand on top of her lover's hand. "You won't be coming to the hotel with us?" she asked. A scowl formed on the raven-haired woman's face.

"I'll be gathering all our friends," Shizuma assured Blake with a squeeze of her hand. "And there's something I need to take care of first," she added.

The silver-eyed woman raised her eyebrows. "What would that be?"

"Returning this," Shizuma replied, placing the engagement in Blake's hand. "I also have to return Sebastian's coat and do some explaining." She took the ring back and put it back inside the coat's pocket. "This is what you want right?"

Blake nodded, leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. "If he comes later, I won't hesitate to throw him out of the window and send him to his death," she muttered, keeping her hold on her lover's hand as Shizuma chuckled at what she said.

* * *

Shizuma's plan was a success. As soon as the plane landed, Leon and Blake donned their disguises and headed out together after Shizuma had gone out first. The now brown-eyed Leon got an airport employee to bring a wheelchair so that Blake could sit back while she was wheeled to the exit. Just as they expected, Shizuma was surrounded by photographers and reporters as she tried to board her transport. The siblings tried to look inconspicuous as the crowd worsened around Shizuma.

"Miss Hanazono!" one reporter shouted. "Is it true that Sebastian Crowell went to London to meet you just for one night before heading back here?"

Another reporter shouted. "Bystanders say that he proposed to you after having dinner at a restaurant! Did you accept Miss Hanazono?"

Leon lowered the brim of his hat over his eyes, still watching as Shizuma answered a few questions before finally boarding in her car and driving off. After a few minutes of standing, a Mercedes Benz pulled up in front of them. The driver rolled down the window and looked at the both of them. "The Etoile's friends?" he asked. It seemed Shizuma had meant that as a code.

The raven-haired man nodded and helped Blake get into the car before hopping into the front seat. "You're taking us to the hotel right?"

The driver nodded. "The suite has already been prepared for the two of you," he informed them before driving the car out of the airport.

* * *

Shizuma thanked her manager and apologized several more times throughout the car ride. Her manager had originally been angry at her for suddenly disappearing and finding out that she had taken a trip to Finland, but after the model's explanation she had calmed down. Now, Shizuma stood waiting in Sebastian Crowell's dressing room in the studio, his coat draped along her forearm. She had already steeled herself for what she was just about to do, but she couldn't help but feel a little bit nervous.

Just then, the actor burst through the door of his room and picked Shizuma up, twirling her around. "I didn't think I would see you so soon!" he exclaimed, grinning down at her. He set Shizuma back on her feet and leaned down to kiss her.

"Sebastian," Shizuma said, placing her fingers over the actor's lips and stopping his impending kiss. "There is something I must tell you."

The actor looked confused for a moment then broke out in a smile. "Sure Shizuma," he said. "What is it that you want to talk about?"

"About us," Shizuma replied, offering the borrowed coat back to the actor. "Look inside the pocket," she told him.

Sebastian pulled out the engagement ring he had given Shizuma a few days ago and gazed sadly at her. "Why won't you accept my love?" he asked, leaning heavily against the wall. "I thought there was something special between us and I really was serious about you."

Shizuma smiled and kept her distance. "There was something between us, but it wasn't what you thought it was. You're a charming man, Sebastian," she told him. "I really enjoyed your company, but I don't feel for you in the same way you do for me." Shizuma reached up and gripped the silver pendant that hung on a chain around her neck. "There's someone else that I deeply care for," she admitted. "And I am not that willing to let her go after just finding her again."

Sebastian's eyes widened. "_Her?!"_ he stuttered.

Shizuma smiled and nodded her head. "You should read those magazine columns once in a while, Sebastian," she advised, walking to the door. "I'm sure a lot of those writers have researched my background." She opened the door, but didn't step out just yet. "I don't think you're the type of person to blackmail people because of a grudge, but if you do decide to do that, I wouldn't care." Without turning around, she waved goodbye to the still shocked actor. "See you around." She closed the door behind her and headed outside, intent on gathering all her friends for the reunion.

* * *

Kairos felt like a fish out of water as he stood in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel lobby uncomfortably. He had just arrived and had no idea where he was supposed to go. He was teaching his trainees at the academy when Jez had suddenly called his cellphone telling him to head to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at seven in the evening. He had asked why, but his fashion-designer sister had to hang up because she was tied up with her work at that moment.

The agent turned instructor stood in the lobby trying to ignore the frequent glances of people around him. He certainly looked imposing because of his appearance. His body was more built as seen by the ripple of muscles along his arms and the broadness of his shoulders and chest. The shades on his face finished off the look. Looking at a mirror, he realized that he must have looked like bodyguard.

"Kairos-san!" Someone called out to him from the couches in the middle of the lobby.

The blonde-haired man turned to look for the source of the voice and smiled upon spotting Chikaru waving at him from her seat on the couch. He strode over to her and exchanged cheerful greetings with her, realizing then that the woman had company. Seated on the couches around him were Kaname, Momomi, Shion and Miyuki who held a ruddy faced baby girl in her arms.

"This is a surprise," he observed, looking at the group of former Astraea Hill students. "Can any of you tell me what we're doing here?"

"It's not just us by the way," Kaname started and pointed at the hotel's entrance where Amane, Jez and Ash happened to be in.

Miyuki nodded her head and smiled up at Kairos. "It looks like Shizuma's back from London and she wants to throw a party."

Kairos scratched his head. "Whatever for?" He hugged his sister when she and the two other women reached their group.

"Shizuma says that she'll be leaving the country for several months," Jez answered, grabbing her phone and looking at it. "I guess she wants to see us first before she leaves again."

Amane nodded her greetings at her former schoolmates before pointing at the hotel's check-in counter. "Speaking of Shizuma, there she is now." She and the rest of the group waved the model over.

"Good!" Shizuma said as she hugged each of her friends including Kairos. "All of you are here for the party!" She motioned for everyone to stand up and to follow her to the elevators. "I reserved a suite just for us and I already ordered everything on the menu."

Miyuki caught up to Shizuma at the front and looked at her quizzically. "You've become quite a party girl," she scolded her best friend. "I should have left your goddaughter with a babysitter if you were planning to have a party."

Shizuma laughed and cooed at her goddaughter. "Don't worry Miyuki," she told the blue-haired mother. "I've already asked the hotel staff to put a crib in the suite's separate room. Ayame could sleep peacefully while we enjoy ourselves in the main room." She, Miyuki, Kairos, Jez and Ash filed into one elevator while the others boarded another one. "Besides, we won't be making a lot of noise," she added with a grin.

"You're a little perky tonight," Kairos pointed out. "Has something happened? The news has been rambling about that Crowell actor chasing after you." He raised an eyebrow at the model. "Don't tell me that's what's making you happy."

Shizuma shook her head. "Not at all," she replied. "Why are you guys being so suspicious of me? Is there something wrong with my desire to see you guys again before I disappear for several months?"

Jez chuckled. "I think she's right," she said. "Let's just have this party. We haven't been together like this for years already." The elevator doors opened and they filed outside into the hallway.

"Now that I think about it," Kairos suddenly said. "I'm actually really hungry! Is the food in the suite already, Shizuma?" he asked as they followed Shizuma down the hall before stopping in front of the suite's door.

"It should be," Shizuma replied, fishing out her card key and opening the door. She stepped inside first and disappeared into another room while the others went inside and murmured to each other at the grandeur of the suite.

Kairos whistled loudly as he took in the fully furnished suite. "Man! This is great!" he exclaimed, feeling the plush carpet beneath his feet. "Hey Shizuma!" he shouted, ignoring the look his sister shot at him. "Where's the food?"

"I thought I would miss that voice, but after hearing it, I changed my mind." A familiar voice drawled from across the room.

Everyone in the main room looked surprised after hearing that voice. Kairos in particular searched the room for the voice before his eyes settled on two figures that stood by the fireplace. One of them, a raven-haired man leaned against the stone hearth regarding them with eyes as crimson as blood. The other figure had her back facing them, raven-black hair falling across her back in a lose ponytail and hands shoved in her pockets.

Every single person in the room, save for Shizuma stared in shock at the two figures before them. They easily recognized the crimson-eyed Leon, most of them knew from detailed pictures taken by the news from the ShadowLabs incident two years ago. Now, they stood waiting for the other person to turn around.

The raven-haired woman faced away from the fireplace and regarded all of them with her silver eyes. She let out a long sigh and covered her eyes with one hand. "This is definitely going to take me a while since I'm blind," she drawled, holding out her hands in front of her. "I'm going to have to go through feeling all of your faces just to see how you guys have turned out."

Kairos forced a lump down his throat before striding forward and lifting his charge in his arms. He squeezed her tightly, feeling tears form in his emerald green eyes. "You stupid idiot!" he let out in a harsh whisper, setting her back on her feet but still kept his arms around her. "After all this time, you come back to show that you're alive?!" He yelped in pain as his charge flicked him hard on his forehead.

"I can't breathe, Kairos," Blake growled and reached up to run her hands over his face. "Hmmm… no more long hair and you've been working out huh?" She grinned at her former guardian.

Kairos blinked then grinned back at his charge. "So you really can't see?" He ruffled Blake's hair then led her to her group of friends. "You've got a lot of feeling to do then!" He laughed as Blake repeated the treatment to the rest of her friends. He walked to Leon and clasped arms with him while Blake went through each of her friends. "Was she blinded because of _that_?" he asked the young man.

Leon nodded. "We should bring her to an expert," he suggested and explained how Blake refused treatment. "I think something can still be done about her blindness. She's willing to go now since Shizuma has convinced her," he added. He watched as Shizuma pressed herself to Blake's side while she helped her lover explain what had happened to her in the past two years.

"We'll do that then," Kairos replied, fishing his cellphone out of his pocket. "Before that though, I'll need Blake to help me out with something."

Leon regarded the older man with his eyes. "What would you need her for?"

"To end an old grudge justly," Kairos replied as he spoke quickly and softly into his cellphone. He and Leon stayed together while the women crowded together in the living room.

* * *

Halley McQueen sat behind her desk, reading through the dozens of documents that she was supposed to finish by the end of the day. The six years that she had been president had been a very tiring experience for her. Back then, she was set to work for the United Nations as an ambassador that was until she was brought before the council of the supposedly reclusive Lionheart organization. The members had expressed that they thought she was the best person to take over the presidency after their current leader retired. When she accepted, she had grand plans laid out for the organization under her leadership.

Then she had come across the secret archives of the organization and found out about the existence of scientific facility that went by the name ShadowLabs. The former president had his agents observe the facility and make detailed reports about their often secretive activities. The opportunity that had presented itself to her from reading those reports kept her up each night until she finally decided to put her plan to action. She masterminded the whole thing, first sending Mikhaila Blackthorn as a medical doctor undercover. She wanted hard evidence that ShadowLabs possessed a human whose genetic code had been manipulated to become a perfect soldier or weapon. McQueen had wracked her mind trying to figure out how to get Blake then known as 22,018 without letting her true motives be known. She didn't expect Mikhaila Blackthorn to be the one to push the organization to save the girl. Everything went by perfectly except for the death of the doctor and that ShadowLabs kept making attempts to take back their subject.

McQueen smoothed her graying hair. She was able to contain the attacks of ShadowLabs by appointing one of their younger agents as the guardian of Blake Saberhart and having them travel from one country to another. Kairos Blackthorn had done such a good job that he was able to throw off the pursuers completely from ShadowLabs. She then gave the order that he and his charge could settle down in an unsuspecting country and allow the both of them a respite. She had chosen Japan and even arranged for Blake to attend school so that it could contribute to their cover.

But then her agents had brought her information that ShadowLabs was moving around suspiciously. Due to her folly of refusing to think that the illegal organization knew the whereabouts of Saberhart, she had been assaulted during one of the school's trips. Halle McQueen issued a direct order to Kairos to pull Blake out of Japan and sent them to their branch in Switzerland. They had a reprieve for five years before ShadowLabs struck again, this time kidnapping one Blake's friends and luring her into their trap.

Blake and her friend had made it out alive thanks to the existence of another experimental subject, which fuelled her lust for power more. If could somehow manage to get her hands also on the boy, she would have had enough power to drown in. When Blackthorn and his charge had asked for the organization to take action against ShadowLabs, she immediately agreed and used all her authority to get the council to agree with her. Everything was going according to plan even during the surprise attack staged by the facility, but then an outsider was suspecting her leadership and it was brought up to the council who now clamored for her to put an end to the human weapons who were wreaking havoc in the city. If she didn't follow the council's wishes, they would have seen through her façade so she ordered the deaths of Blake Saberhart and Leon.

"I sacrificed a lot just to keep myself clean," she muttered to herself as she piled the documents on one side of her table. "I had the means to my ascent for power killed and my most promising agent quit." McQueen continued to browse through the reports on her table when she heard her office's door open. "I am not to be disturbed," she barked, not bothering to look up. She heard the door close and thought that whoever it was had left. Suddenly, a piece of paper slid on top of the report she was reading and she looked up in surprise at a familiar blonde-haired man. "Blackthorn," she greeted. "What brings you here?"

"Just delivering a notice for you, McQueen," Kairos smiled at her, tapping the paper that he had just set on top of her table.

McQueen quickly read the paper and laughed. "You must be fooling me, Blackthorn," she told the ex-agent. "A notice calling the president of the Lionheart organization to court on charges of treason, subversion and crimes against humanity?" She pushed the paper away from her. "That's quite a hefty charge against the president of a well-known organization."

Kairos shook his head at the woman he respected in the past. "Your rise to power using the ShadowLabs human weapons would have brought about destruction," he said, glaring hard at the older woman. "This time, you can't slip out of this court order. It's time for you to recompense for everything that you have done."

McQueen barked out in her laughter. "You're a fool Blackthorn," she spat out. "Even if I go to court, my power and authority is vast. All the charges will be dropped against me and you have nothing that will back up your claim!"

"Not if a pair of dead weapons came back to life, huh?" Kairos asked, still glaring at the president who glared back at him with a mocking look on her face.

"At least you're not stupid to acknowledge that fact," McQueen retorted, going back to her reports and heard her office door open again.

"Then _I _will testify against you in court then, president," the new intruder declared. "Or should I say, the pair of dead weapons will testify against you?" Blake Saberhart and Leon stood at the doorway staring coolly at her with their silver and crimson eyes. "Surprise," Blake drawled, saluting the trembling elderly president.

Kairos walked towards his charge and her brother and led them out of the office. "We'll see you in court, McQueen."

* * *

_Beginning of April… two months later…_

* * *

Shizuma led Blake down the familiar beach they had been rescued on by Raine Skylar when they had escaped from the oilrig. The lovers had gone to visit the retired doctor to spend the whole day with her.

"Slow down, Shizuma!" Blake told the platinum-haired woman by her side. "I can't see where I'm going you know!" Her storm-gray eyes were hidden beneath a few layers of bandages that were wrapped around her head.

Shizuma laughed raising her face to the ocean breeze. "Don't worry, Blake! I'm right here!" Today was a rare moment for Shizuma to be alone and unbothered by an entourage of reporters and photographers.

Many things have certainly happened in the two months that had passed. After giving the notice that called McQueen to go to court, Kairos, Blake, Leon and the rest of their friends and family attended the trial of the now deposed Lionheart Organization president. As promised, Blake and Leon stepped up to the stand to testify against the power-hungry president while others including Doctor Raine Skylar and Shizuma also gave separate accounts. With all the testimonials and evidence given, particularly in the form of the only surviving ShadowLabs experimental subjects, a verdict had been brought in. Halley McQueen was pronounced guilty of the charges filed against her. A number of penalties were given to her, which included a hefty fine, relinquishing her position, being banned from taking any other position and an indefinite period of house arrest.

Kairos was so pleased with the outcome of the trial that he temporarily lent his assistance to the council of the leaderless Lionheart Organization to restructure their system. The blonde-haired ex-agent did not intend to rejoin the organization, assuring the council that he held no grudge against them since McQueen had been dealt with. Kairos had found his true calling in the Security Academy and Agency that he started and ran with the help of his former agents.

After explaining the significance of Leon in Blake's life, the crimson-eyed eighteen-year old was formally adopted into the Blackthorn-Skylar family. After an ensuing battle between Blake and Kairos regarding where he should live, Leon finally decided to live with his adoptive mother. He calmly explained to his older sister that he would like to try living with a mother in his life since he had none of the sort in the past. Blake's mother was also happy with the arrangement saying that she would finally have company since Blake would be staying with Shizuma.

A week after the court trial had been adjourned, Blake was accompanied by Shizuma, Leon, Kairos and Shion to a renowned ophthalmologist whom Shion knew when she was still a medical student. After a series of examinations and tests, the doctor told the good news. It turned out that Blake's loss of sight wasn't permanent. There were microscopic bits of debris that were still on the surface of her eyes, irritating the nerves and making her blind. He suggested that he use water treatment to flush the debris out, explaining to them that it would take a series of six sessions to finish. For two sessions a week, Blake underwent the treatment and tried her best to ignore the force of the jet of water being fired into her anaesthetized eyes. At the end of the sessions, the ophthalmologist wrapped a bandage around Blake's head, covering her closed eyes. He ordered it to be kept on for a month to give her eyes enough time to heal.

Blake was often moody; having been ordered to refrain from doing anything physically demanding just to make sure that the treatment is successful. She grumbled frequently as she stayed in a variety of homes while Shizuma was out doing her work as a model. For most of the month, she stayed either at Amane's home since it was quite close to the horse club. Vittoria Hughes had the portion of the field that was destroyed by ShadowLabs remodeled and assured Blake that it was no problem at all. The raven-haired woman spent many of her days laid back on the grass with Darkmoon grazing nearby. The Friesian had escaped relatively unscathed from the explosion, having run off to safety with the rest of the horses.

Blake also used up her month long recuperation by grooming the still moody Friesian and observing… listening mostly, to the horseback-riding lessons conducted by Amane and her friends from the club. The students mostly composed of young teenagers from the Wayland's School for Young Men and Women were captivated by the raven-haired woman whose eyes were hidden by bandages wrapped around her head. Emil and Dom would tease Blake that the students had started calling her the "blind horse whisperer", much to her dismay. When she asked why they called her that, Dom explained that the students were dumbfounded that a blind woman could calm the meanest horse at the stables and came up with the conclusion that you were one of those self-proclaimed horse whisperers.

On other days, Blake would be fetched by Kaname and Momomi to go to the school with them. Momomi would bring Blake along to her classes and let her sit in as she lectured. She would often have to call the class' attention because many of the students would be glancing back to look at the eye-covered woman. Blake couldn't see what was happening, but she often felt uncomfortable as she sat there in the back of the room. She always got the feeling that people were staring at her. Momomi would also force Blake to come to the front and give some of her insights on the countries they were taking up in class, particularly the countries that Blake had lived in. From an initial feeling of uneasiness, the students were now impressed and awed by the worldliness of their teacher's friend.

After classes, Kaname would fetch Blake and bring her to the athletic department of the school to observe the training sessions of the various teams. After complaining to Kaname that there was no reason for her to sit and watch training sessions when she couldn't see, the Athletic Department head dragged Blake onto the football field, halting the practice of the women's team. Positioning Blake for a penalty kick, Kaname grabbed a football and placed it in Blake's hands, daring her to score a goal with a mocking tone. Of course, she couldn't back down so she placed the ball on the field and with a few tips regarding the location of the goal posts, Blake backed away, ran towards the ball and miraculously kicked the ball into the net with such blinding speed. It didn't stop there because Kaname claimed that it was just luck. She dragged Blake to the outdoor basketball court and claimed that it would take Blake an hour before she could shoot a clean three-pointer. To her disdain and the awe of both the football and track teams, Blake was able to shoot a clean three-pointer in five tries with the help of her newly acquired fans.

During one week, Blake stayed over at Miyuki's home caring for Ryu and the now four-month old Ayame. Babysitting for one rowdy boy and a helpless baby proved to be too much for Blake who'd be at home with the kids while Jin was at work and Miyuki at school. Halfway through the week, Miyuki came home with a cheerful Chikaru in tow. Blake was grateful for the help and had more fun caring for Miyuki's children with Chikaru. Ryu was a growing boy and was becoming interested in sports, often asking Blake to come with him to the local park to watch kids play football and older kids play basketball on the outdoor courts. The raven-haired woman promised the young boy that she would teach him how to play both sports when she could see again, telling herself silently that she would if the treatment was successful.

Kairos did not want to be left out so he invited Blake to his academy. He would often ask for second opinions from Blake when it came to his work. There would be times Blake would listen in to the panel evaluations of each trainees or she would be demonstrating hand-to-hand combat stances to trainees who were falling behind. On one occasion, Kairos had embarrassed his class of students by making Blake assemble an assault rifle faster than any of them could despite having their eyesight. Blake of course lessened the bite of the strict instructor. She told the trainees in her usual wry drawl that anyone could do it that fast if they were forced to assemble the assault rifle in twenty seconds blindfolded and in a completely dark room for a week. Kairos denied that claim, but could not counter the brutal honesty in his charge's voice.

"Do we have to be out here?" Blake asked as she allowed herself to be dragged by Shizuma. "I was hoping to stay inside and see what mom's decision would be." Just recently, the Lionheart organization had requested for Raine Skylar's presence and had asked her to take the presidency. Blake and Leon were reluctant to allow their mother to accept because of the organizations past misdeeds, but had loosened up when Kairos reminded them that he had helped restructure the system.

'I'm sure your mother will come to a decision," Shizuma reminded her lover, finally pulling Blake down to sit on the sand. "Besides, why would you want to stay inside when Leon's learning how to cook?"

Blake shivered and shook her head. "You're right," she agreed, rubbing the back of her head. "It was a disaster when Leon tried to cook dinner for Kairos' thirtieth birthday." She tilted her head back and let the gentle ocean breeze caress her face.

"Happy that you decided to skip the doctor's appointment to spend time with me?" Shizuma asked, tracing light patters on the back of Blake's hand.

Blake cocked her head to the side and regarded Shizuma with a frown on her face. "I had to skip the check-up because you wanted to spend time with me," she scolded her lover.

Shizuma pouted and lightly shoved Blake. "So you're not happy then?" She sounded disappointed. Her long platinum hair that danced with the breeze was shorter, having been trimmed to fall until the middle of her back. When not at work, Shizuma frequently kept her hair down. She explained that it made her feel like an ordinary person and not a famous celebrity.

"Not really," Blake replied, grabbing a fistful of sand and letting it drain through the spaces of her fingers. "I heard on television that the Crowell actor had just been accused of being gay," she told Shizuma with a smirk. "I wonder how'd that happen?"

Shizuma chuckled as she kept her eyes on the crashing waves. "I suppose he was so distraught that the woman of his dreams had refused him for a woman," she guessed. "As for me, the media have known for quite some time that I'm openly lesbian. Perhaps Sebastian thought he would try the other side."

"Good luck to him then," Blake drawled, gently rubbing her eyes over the bandages.

"You're a compassionate person," Shizuma said with sarcasm.

"Should I be compassionate to the person who could have been your husband?" Blake retorted.

Shizuma smiled. "Touché," she replied. "Must you always be so blunt?"

Blake stiffened at the implied insult. "Being straight-forward and blunt is better than dawdling!" she bickered. She had always been blunt and direct when it came to handling things.

"Not all the time, Blake," Shizuma argued back.

The raven-haired woman scowled. "I have never encountered any problem because of my direct and blunt manner!"

Shizuma raised her eyebrows at the claim. "Oh really?" she asked. "What about that time when you told one of Amane's friends from the club that she wasn't cut out for teaching horseback-riding lessons? You made her break down and Amane had to apologize for you!"

Blake turned her face away from Shizuma, the scowl deepening on her face. "It was true! She spent more time flirting with the male riders in their club instead of paying attention to her students!" she huffed out in annoyance. "One of the students almost fell off her horse because that friend of Amane's had forgone checking the length of the stirrups of her students to flirt with Emil and Lorenzo."

"You didn't need to be so harsh!" Shizuma argued back.

Blake turned her head to face Shizuma and continue their argument when she felt fingers press against her lips.

Shizuma withdrew her fingers and placed them against Blake's cheek. "The ophthalmologist was supposed to take your bandages off today right?" she asked, gently running the pad of her fingers across her bandaged eyes.

"Yeah," Blake replied, reaching up, seizing her lover's fingers and bringing them to her lips. "I could always go tomorrow anyway to have him take it off." When a hand gripped the bandages on the side of her head, Blake jerked away in surprise. "Shizuma!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing? The doctor is supposed to be the one to do that!"

"Why wait until tomorrow?" Shizuma asked, taking hold of the bandage's end that had unraveled from her earlier attempt. "I want to see now," she told Blake, her voice filled with desire and love. "I've gone far too long without seeing those eyes of yours." She moved around on her knees until she was in front of her. "Please?" she pleaded, her hands moving towards the bandages.

Blake let out a sigh and seated herself comfortably with one leg bent in an Indian-style fashion and the other half stretched out on the sand with her forearm resting on the raised knee. "Go ahead," she told her lover and waited.

Shizuma began to unravel the bandages carefully. Her hands travelled around Blake's head as the binding thinned. Finally, she got to the last layer. As the ends of the bandages fell to the sand beside them, Shizuma watched as her lover looked up slowly, her eyes still closed.

Little by little, Blake cracked her eyes open. For a few seconds, she only saw the familiar black darkness she experienced in the past. She blinked a few times and the streaks of light broke through the darkness. She continued to blink, her eyes becoming moist after two months of being hidden and unused. Letting out a long sigh, Blake closed her eyes, putting a hand up to keep Shizuma silent. She waited for a full minute until she felt that her eyes were no longer dry, then opened them once more. This time there was no more black darkness in her eyesight. Blinking rapidly, the images before her gradually became clearer and clearer until she could make out the blue seas and white sand before her. She closed her eyes once more, squeezing them tightly together then opened them and saw the alabaster skin, platinum colored hair and those intense amber orbs. She could clearly make out the familiar face of the lover she had not seen for over two years.

Blake smiled, her storm-gray eyes softening as she leaned forward and cupped Shizuma's face in her hands. She pulled Shizuma in for a kiss, gently at first then with more passion. After pulling away, Blake smiled at her lover and wiped away the tears that escaped from Shizuma's eyes. "I will never forget this," she told Shizuma, her fingers still gently roaming over her lover's face.

Shizuma smiled back and sniffled. "Never forget what?" she asked, looking a bit confused.

"The first thing I saw," Blake replied, touching their foreheads together as the ocean breeze picked up and played with their hair and clothing.

The platinum-haired woman chuckled and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment between them. "You're not making any sense."

"You're the first thing I saw…" Blake repeated, making just a little more sense than she did a while ago.

"Hmmm?" Shizuma asked, running her fingers along her lover's callused digits that remained on her face. She felt the vibrations of Blake's deep and throaty chuckle.

"You're the first person I saw after breaking out of my darkness…" Blake said softly, opening her eyes and gazing into those amber orbs with her own silver ones. "I'm content to know that yours is the face I saw at the beginning of this new life. Now… I can truly say that I am _alive_."

* * *

_The end…_

* * *

_**Hope you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it! **_

_**I've certainly reached a peak after finishing this story because it's the first story I've ever completed ever since becoming a member of the fanfiction community 5 years ago. **_

_**To my faithful readers, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I hope to hear from you despite finishing this story. **_

_**Alaeri: You'll always be an important person to me. :) you've been there from the start and I really appreciate you for everything that you've done for me, from the reviews to the horse advice! You've been a constant bulwark and I will certainly miss you. **_

_**NinjaM: I suspect the epilogue has satisfied you? ;p thanks!**_

_**Loorlover: Have you forgiven me yet? Haha! I'd like to thank you too for being one of the readers who have stuck with me from the beginning (putting aside the disappearing acts you made). I am truly flattered that you cried in the last chapter and about continuing the story. Well… I'm not so sure as of now. I do have a few ideas for a sequel, but I'm not too eager to start on it because of a my busy schedule. Tell you what, keep sending me messages and give me ideas about a possible sequel. :) In time, I just MIGHT decide to make one. ;p**_

_**Yenyankee: thanks! I'll miss you too dude! Hahaha! **_

_**RavenTheBirdSpirit: I'll never forget that first review you sent me! :) Unfortunately, this is really the end of the story. About Finland, well I was suddenly inspired to use the country. I was on an exchange student program a few years back (when I was still a young high school student… hehe). The place was just really beautiful and I loved the forests, cold weather and the snow! Haha! Geographically, it was quite close to London where Shizuma was in the last chapter, so Finland seemed to be just the right place to find Blake again.**_

_**For requests, questions and anything else, please feel free to send me a message or leave me a review.**_

_**So for now, this is goodbye. **_


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